Echoes From The Past
by Rangergirl3
Summary: The past, for better or worse, affects the present. Fifteenth in the Lost Paladins Series. Cross-posted on Archive of Our Own. And Zenthisoror on tumblr drew a beautiful fanart for one of the scenes in Chapter 3! :D Update: I've just added another 'Bonus Scene' onto the end of this story. :-)
1. Unexpected Developments

Beyris frowned to herself and kicked her feet aimlessly. She was sitting on a couch in the lounge near the infirmary, where Pidge and the other Paladins were resting. Beyris felt a little bored, but then again, it wasn't like she _needed_ the Paladins to keep her entertained. She just liked being around them.

Her uncle had only left a short time ago, and he'd told her that he would be right back. He'd seemed really serious when he'd gone with Coran and Allura and Shiro to go and fight - what was his name again? Oh, yeah. Jenick.

Beyris decided that she would just call the guy 'Ick' for short. He was a _jerk_. Beyris hoped Shiro kicked his butt in the fighting ring.

In the short time since the others had left, Pidge had fallen asleep right over her computer, and Hunk had curled up on the floor next to her, surrounded by bits and pieces of tech equipment. Lance had been trying to read Beyris a story, but he'd nodded off half-way through the book, and although Beyris really wanted to know what happened next, he looked so tired, she didn't have the heart to wake him up.

She glanced over towards the infirmary door, where she knew Aurelis sat nearby at his desk. He and Coran had been talking earlier about something called quin-tess-ants levels. They'd said that it was important to keep track them during Keith's re-cov-er-airy time.

From what little the others had told her, Keith had fought Jenick, and now Keith had to stay in a healing pod until he got all better. Her uncle hadn't told her exactly how bad Keith's injuries were, but Beyris felt that they must have been pretty bad to keep Keith in a healing pod.

Beyris bit her lip in sudden guilt. She hadn't been able to give him back his jacket yesterday - she and Lance had had so much fun with the ice flowers, it had slipped her mind until just now. She _really_ should give the jacket back to Keith. She got off the couch slowly and carefully, so that Lance could keep sleeping, and as she did, she made sure she kept tight hold of the red jacket. It was soft, and she liked it, but it was _Keith's_ jacket, and she wanted him to have it back.

As Beyris tiptoed over towards the door that lead into the infirmary, she realized she would have to sneak past Aurelis. She stopped in her tracks, not sure if she could get past the healer - he might not want her to get too close to Keith - but she really, _really_ wanted to give Keith's jacket back, because she felt _really_ bad about forgetting about it until just now.

After a moment of hesitation, she made her decision. She'd just be very quiet and very careful, and put the jacket by the head of the healing pod. That way, no one would step on it, and it would be right by Keith whenever he woke up - which would hopefully be soon -

"Beyris?"

She jumped at the sound of her name, but she relaxed when she realized Lance was waking up and rubbing his eyes. He sat up, yawned, stretched, and came over to her. He yawned again as he asked, "Whatcha doing…?"

Then he saw the jacket, and his eyes immediately became more alert, and a little sad. "Oh...right..." he said, almost to himself.

"I - um - wanted to give it back," Beyris explained. "You know - to help him get better faster - I mean, don't you think it might help him?"

Lance looked away from her for a few seconds, and when he replied, his voice was hoarse. "Sure," he said. "It - it could - come on, let's-"

But Beyris had already bounded forward in an excited hurry, glad to have Lance with her. Aurelis wouldn't mind her coming into the infirmary if another Paladin was with her, because with someone tall like Lance, Aurelis wouldn't say that she was likely to be stepped on because she was so small. Aurelis was always so worried about her.

She chuckled to herself. The healer was funny, and he really was very nice, but he was _very_ easy to startle - maybe it was because he was always reading or writing something down. Aurelis _really_ got into books. Or medical charts. Anything with words or numbers, really. It was kind of - what had Pidge called it? A-dork-ab-le.

"Hi Aurelis!" She trilled as she bounded into the infirmary, and she saw the healer almost hit his head on the lamp near his desk as he jumped in his chair and spun wildly around to face them. She seemed to have that effect on him whenever she bounded, scurried, or poked her head into the infirmary room.

"GAHH!" he said, trying to keep his papers and pens from flying onto the floor, but he soon abandoned the attempt and just clutched his heart. " _What_ -" he began to ask, looking between her and Lance, but then Lance explained Beyris' idea. As Aurelis nodded in understanding, Beyris scurried to the head of the healing pod and peered in at Keith, who was still sound asleep under the shimmering energy field.

Lance thought to himself that it was a little bit strange that the Proselyt healing pods weren't arranged vertically like the Altean ones on the Castle. Instead, they were horizontal, like hospital beds back on Earth - and the activated energy field around this one reminded Lance of that one movie where a Norse god was in - what was it called - oh, yeah - the Odin-sleep.

 _Keith would_ _ **kill**_ _me if I compared him to a one-eyed Norse god,_ Lance thought, but somehow the thought of Keith being annoyed at him just made Lance sad. He felt like he would give anything to have his friend be healthy and back to normal.

Suddenly Aurelis was rising anxiously from his chair and saying something to Beyris, and Lance's attention returned to the small girl. She'd hung the jacket up at the head of the bed, but now she was holding something different - something that Lance recognized.

"But Aurelis - look, something's different about it- "

"Stars, child, don't pick up the sharp object! No - no, no, no - _stoppit_ \- your uncle will _kill_ me -"

Lance realized Beyris had picked up Keith's knife - the one he'd always had with him - and he joined Aurelis' efforts to get the sharp object away from the very energetic five year old. Even though it was still in its sheath, it didn't hurt to be careful. Lance stepped forward slowly, holding out his hands towards Beyris, not grabbing for the weapon, but making sure he could, if he needed to.

"- _stars -_ uh - Beyris - how about you just - uh - "

But the girl was already holding it out to him, pointing to the hilt of the weapon, her eyes sparking and her voice excited.

"Lance, see?! See?! Something's different! The hilt is - _different_ -"

Lance looked down at the weapon and realized Beyris was right. The black stone in the hilt of the weapon looked like it was glowing. As he took the knife from her, he brought the weapon closer to his eyes, so he could try and make out what he was seeing.

"…Beyris…did…did you maybe knock it against the floor or something?"

Beyris shook her head emphatically. "No, I just - reached up to hang Keith's jacket - and - and then the knife just - fell off the chair and onto the floor - and when I picked it up - I saw the hilt was glowing-"

Now Aurelis was standing right by them, and Lance showed him the weapon. The healer looked facinated. "Are you _sure_ it wasn't that way before?" he asked, and Lance shrugged. "I don't think so. Keith never really talked much about it - I always thought this knife must have belonged to his dad - "

Lance felt his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth in delayed realization, just as Aurelis' jaw dropped open. "His - his father?" the healer asked. "You're saying this might have belonged to his _father_?"

"I - I think - so - I mean - maybe," Lance stammered. He didn't know what to make of Aurelis' expression. "W-why?"

Aurelis had already taken the knife out of Lance's hands and was peering at the hilt carefully. "Well - sometimes - rarely, mind you, but sometimes - there can be hidden compartments - perhaps his father left some kind of information in here, something - something that - yes, yes, I thought so -"

Beyris jumped up and down, trying to see what Aurelis had uncovered. "Whatisit-whatisit-canIsee-canIsee-Lance-lemme-see-lemme-see-can-it-help-Keith-'cause-that-would-be- _amazing_ -"

Lance saw that Aurelis was nodding his head in amazement. "It's a heritage seal. _Incredible_. I've only read about them - I've never seen an active one before-"

"What's a heritage seal?" Lance asked. He felt excited and nervous, all at the same time, and Aurelis seemed to share his excitement. The healer's eyes were wide in both amazement and interest as he explained.

"It's a - well, not exactly a spell - but it's a lock that can only be opened by someone's descendants. You can only open the seal once - so if there is a compartment in here - only your friend Keith can open it-"

"How can you tell it's never been opened before?" Lance asked. Aurelis snorted gently in exasperation.

"Weren't you listening, Paladin? If it's a heritage seal - and this _has_ to be - it can only open _once._ Some people theorize that heritage seals may activate when the descendant is in serious danger - but that's only a theory. It's never been conclusively proven."

The healer tapped a clawed finger against the black stone pommel thoughtfully. "My guess is that Keith's father stored something in here - something important that he wished his son to find one day. Once Keith wakes up, maybe we can try to -"

Suddenly Beyris was tugging at Lance's sleeve and pulling him over towards Keith, and Lance thought that she was trying to say that they should wake Keith up now, so that he could find out what information his father had left behind.

" _Whoa_ , Beyris," Lance said, digging his heels in and pulling them both away from where his still-really-damaged friend was in a healing coma, "-we don't want to wake him up too early - that would be _really_ bad for him - "

Aurelis turned and came forward, closer to the healing pod, and Lance realized the small girl had heard a monitor beeping out a code.

"Aurelis," Lance said, trying to keep his voice calm, "-what's - what's - happening?"

Aurelis was reading a medical chart with growing concern.

"The healing cycle -" Aurelis said, his voice sharp but controlled. "It's - it's slowing down - that - shouldn't be happening - it's far too early - "

Lance felt his stomach drop into his shoes, but instead of completely losing his composure like he wanted to, he took in a breath and asked, carefully, calmly, like an adult would, "- and - do we - know - why - it's doing that?"

Aurelis shook his head. "I'm not sure - but -"

Just then, the monitor let out a consistent tone, and the domed barrier over the bed shimmered out of existence. Lance felt his stomach clench in sudden fear, and he looked over at the healer. From the expression on Aurelis' face, this entire healing cycle coming to a complete halt was about as far from a good thing as you could possibly get.

Maybe that theory about the heritage seal was more than just a theory.

"He's waking up," Aurelis said, his face going completely still and professional. He laid the knife back on his desk and reached for the comms unit. "You should try to make sure he knows you're here-"

Lance nodded, going over to Keith's side. Even as he did so, he heard Aurelis calling over the comms for his assistant med-techs to come to the infirmary immediately.

Keith's eyes flickered open, and Lance felt a surge of relief at how Keith seemed to recognize him and wasn't afraid.

"…Lance…?"

Lance leaned down a little, so that Keith could see him easier. "Hey there - Keith - uh - how are you - feeling?"

Keith's eyes were glazed, but he seemed to be tired, not scared - which was a _huge_ improvement over the previous day. His voice was raspy when he replied.

"…my…head…hurts…"

Lance nodded sympathetically. "…I'm…sorry, buddy - uh - "

Keith suddenly took in a harsh breath, and his eyes seemed to focus for an instant.

"…Bey…ris…?" he asked, and Lance realized that Keith was asking if she'd been found by her uncle, if she was safe now. The Blue Paladin had to blink rapidly before replying. Of course Keith would ask about the girl's safety right after coming out of a coma. It was the kind of person he was.

"Yeah, buddy," Lance said, and he swallowed before continuing. "She's fine - actually - she's right here - "

Even as he said the words, Lance felt a sudden fear wash over him - not only a new, desperate fear for Keith, but a fear for Beyris as well. She hadn't known how badly Keith had been injured in trying to protect her. Keith had lured Jenick away from her to spare her that knowledge.

Even as Keith's eyes glazed over and he shut his eyes again, Lance heard Beyris squeak and start to run up behind him, and then Lance made a decision. He couldn't let Beyris see Keith like this. The Blue Paladin turned around, leaned down, and scooped the small girl up into his arms, turning so that she faced away from Keith just as the other med-techs arrived. Lance moved away so they could help Aurelis figure out what was going on.

Beyris wiggled impatiently in his arms. "Lance - _come on -_ Keith's awake - I have to-"

Lance kept his grip firm but gentle as he tried to explain why he wasn't going to put her down.

"Beyris, listen, Keith isn't all - all better yet - he still - he still feels pretty bad - and - and we shouldn't really - uh - see him - now - "

Beyris stopped squirming and looked up Lance, her red eyes going round with concern.

"Is - is it bad - that - that Keith's awake? I mean - is it too early?"

Lance wanted to lie to her, but he knew he couldn't. Not only would it have been unfair - but Beyris was a smart kid. She would figure it out sooner or later. So instead, he just swallowed and nodded. She bit her lip, and Lance knew that he had to get her out of the room. He couldn't chance her seeing or hearing anything that might -

"Paladin - " Aurelis said, and Lance realized the healer had thought the same thing. "You - you should hurry back - and - and you should bring the others."

It was the hardest thing Lance had ever done, but he nodded and left the room. He left, taking Beyris with him, and she buried her face into his shoulder as he started to walk quickly back towards the lounge.

"It's my fault," she whispered, and Lance made comforting sounds as he patted her head.

"Oh, Beyris - no, sweetie, it's not your fault," he said, rounding a corner swiftly. "It's not your fault at all -"

She sniffed into his shoulder. It wasn't an attention-seeking sniff, but instead one of genuine sadness. She hiccuped the next few words into his neck, her words muffled but still distinguishable.

"I - I took the jacket to the infirmary - I picked the knife up - I think - I think I woke him up early -"

Lance patted her head again, still intent on getting to the others as quickly as possible. "No, sweetie, that had nothing to do with it - look, they're going to take - really good care of him, okay? And - um -"

Lance broke off as he saw Coran, Allura, and Shiro round the final corner ahead of him. At the sight of Beyris' distress, all three of them hurried forward, concern crossing their faces in the same instant.

"Lance?" Shiro said, and his voice was the best thing Lance had ever heard, because now Shiro was here, and he would help Lance know what to do.

Allura was here too, coming to stand right by him, and now Beyris was reaching out for her - Lance didn't mind, he knew Beyris wanted Allura because the Princess was kind and strong, and Lance needed to relay information now, he had to tell them what Aurelis had said, and he wasn't sure he could manage it if Beyris was crying into his neck.

Even as Allura took Beyris into her arms, Shiro held onto Lance's shoulders, and Coran asked Lance what was happening. The Blue Paladin forced himself to say the words clearly, fighting back the fear and almost vicious panic that threatened to stop his voice.

"The healing cycle - slowed down - and - and just - stopped. We're not sure - why. Keith's - awake - and Aurelis told me - to get you - and the others. He says - we have to hurry."

Shiro swallowed and looked at Coran and Allura. "I'm-" Shiro said, and his voice was only a little bit shaky. "I'm - I'm going straight to the infirmary - I'll make sure he knows he's not alone - "

"Go," Coran said, and Shiro took off running, even as Lance turned back towards Allura and Coran.

"I was able to tell - Keith that - Beyris was safe," Lance said. It was hard to talk over the lump in his throat. "But then - I - um - I - thought - "

"You were right to bring her away from there," Allura said. She was patting Beyris on the back soothingly, and Beyris had her arms wrapped tight around Allura's neck. "Coran, Lance - why don't you get Hunk and Pidge - I'll stay with Beyris until Rayzor can get here - I'm sure he's already -"

They parted ways then, and Lance decided it could have been worse. At least Keith didn't think they were going to torture him this time.

Even as Lance left the room with Beyris, Aurelis turned back to the Red Paladin and kept his voice very soothing and very calm. "Right, everyone, I need you to help me check on - the status of - the situation." His medical team understood what he meant, and as they worked, the Red Paladin blinked a couple of times and stared up at them. His eyes were glassy, and he seemed to be in some kind of fog or daze - which wasn't uncommon after the end of a healing cycle.

To Aurelis' relief, the obvious life-threatening injuries had mostly mended - but that still didn't answer the main question.

 _Why had the healing cycle ended so soon?_

It should have gone on for another day at least - several of the injuries were far from completely healed - and Aurelis had to frown at the result of the temperature reading. The boy was far too warm - but there was no cause for a fever - not unless -

"Keith," Aurelis said, very quietly, "We're here to help you. Can you understand that?"

He felt the boy's gaze fall on him, and he hoped that Keith could sense they only meant to help him, to stabilize him until they could understand why the healing cycle had been interrupted, and why he had this strange fever.

For a moment, it seemed that Keith recognized him. But then Keith's eyes glazed over again, and Aurelis remembered what he had said to the Blue Paladin, right when he woke up.

His head injuries were still affecting him.

Aurelis saw pain and confusion flicker across Keith's face, and he knew what was going to happen next.


	2. Fragments

The only thing Keith could feel when he came fully back to his senses was pain - horrible, mind-shattering, agonizing pain. There were voices around him, but he recognized none of them.

Where was he? What had happened to him?

He tried to ask, but he couldn't concentrate long enough on the words before they broke apart and fell away into the darkness. He hurt everywhere - his ribs ached and it hurt to breathe - and his arms - _stars_ \- _what was wrong with his arms_ \- he couldn't move them at all-

Someone was saying something about - pain medicine - and then he felt someone lay what felt like a patch on his neck. Instinctively, Keith tried to pull back, because he didn't want to be here, helpless and alone and vulnerable - but then someone touched his shoulder and told him that he was safe, that his team was on their way.

 _His team? What team? What the hell was going on?_

Keith blinked his eyes open again, and remembered - with a sudden, rushing terror - that he was underground, in tunnels where someone had tried to kill him.

"You're safe now," someone was saying. "- please - just try to relax - "

Keith wished he could believe that - but he didn't know any of these people standing around him - how could he be safe if he didn't know who they were?

A flash of memory returned to him - a memory of dark and cold and merciless red eyes - these people - they had red eyes -

 _They were going to hurt him - he had to get away from here-_

But when he tried to move, pain shot down his arms and throughout his entire body, and he felt something inside his chest grate and grind together. He arched his back and screamed in agony even as one of the people standing by his head let out a curse.

"It's not working," someone said, their voice tight and strained. "It - should be - why isn't it-"

"It _will_ work!" Someone else snapped. "It did before - but - it'll take some time - "

Keith felt anger flare inside his chest then, alongside the pain and fear.

 _He wouldn't just lie here - he'd fight as long as he could -_

Keith bared his teeth at them all and tried once more to get up, to get away, but something was wrong with his body - it wasn't responding like normal. His muscles felt like…lead…

" _Stars_ -" one of the others said. "Surely we can do _something_ \- "

Keith felt his heart constrict in sudden panic. He tried one more time to move, to get free - but then the world tilted and spun around him, and he had to shut his eyes. He felt dizzy and sick, and there was nothing he could do to prevent these people from activating what felt like some kind of energized restraints to hold him in place.

 _He couldn't move - all he felt was pain -_

Fragments of memory flickered in his mind, but he couldn't concentrate on any one of them long enough to really understand what was happening. Footsteps approached, and then - the one the others had called Aurelis was speaking to someone -

"We had to keep him still, Paladin," he said. "He's - he's confused right now - but maybe you can- "

Then a familiar voice said his name, and Keith forced his eyes open in sudden, desperate hope.

"Shiro?" Keith gasped, first in disbelief, and then in almost frantic desperation. _"Shiro!"_

Shiro was standing right by Keith, looking down at him, and he looked - he looked awful. There was blood on his armor - had he been hurt?

Keith felt fear flood through him. "Shiro - how - what - "

Shiro saw that Keith was looking at the blood, and he shook his head. His words were tight, clipped, almost harsh with an emotion Keith couldn't quite place. "It's - not mine - Keith - listen-"

Keith didn't even realize he'd started talking until he heard the words pour out of him. He knew he he had to get away from here, away from these tunnels - and he couldn't do it alone.

"Shiro - come on - we _have_ to get out of h- "

Mid-word, Keith felt as if knives were stabbing into his chest, and he couldn't seem to get enough air into his lungs. Then someone - one of the med-techs - was trying to put a mask over Keith's nose and mouth, telling Keith that this was medicine that was going to help him.

Keith recoiled away from the mask, an instinctive, vicious fear coursing through him. He didn't want this mask on his face, he wanted Shiro to help him - he wanted his friend to get him _away_ from here -

"Buddy, it's all right," Shiro was saying, "They're not going to hurt you - it's all right - "

When Keith still tried to avoid the mask, feeling hurt and confused and terrified, another med-tech grabbed hold of his face and held his head still. Keith tried to break free from the med-tech's grip, but it was useless. When Keith looked back at Shiro, he saw his friend's face was ashen now, almost grey, and he looked like he might be about to cry.

When Shiro spoke again, it was rough, almost like his throat was too tight for speech.

"-Keith - you're safe - you're not in any danger -"

As the mask descended towards his face, Keith felt panic overwhelm him - panic and hurt and fear, all at once. Shiro wasn't even _trying_ to help him - he was just letting this happen - how could he just - let this happen -

A hazy memory surfaced then - yellow eyes and the accusation of betrayal -

 _Keith was part-Galra - was this some kind of payback for everything Shiro had gone through as a Galra prisoner?_

It took every ounce of Keith's concentration to speak over the pain in his chest, but he did. He forced out the words, rasping for air, still desperately trying to wrench free from the hands holding him in place.

"Sh-Shiro - I'm - sorry - I'm _sorry_ \- _please_ -"

Shiro went even paler, his hands tightening into fists at his sides, but he didn't do anything to stop the med-techs from putting the mask over Keith's face. Instead, he just kept telling Keith that he was safe, that there was nothing to be afraid of.

 _Like hell there wasn't._

As the med-techs stepped away from him, Keith felt his heart beat faster and faster in fear. Frantically, desperately, he tried to loosen the mask by shaking his head from side to side, but the med-techs had done their work well, and it wouldn't come off. His entire body was shaking now, and his heard hurt - it hurt _so_ much, and as he stared up at his friend, he felt tears slide down his face.

"-Takashi _-"_ he cried, the words half-muted and mangled behind the mask _, "- help me -_ _ **please**_ _\- "_

Shiro winced as if Keith had stabbed him in the chest, and then the machine by Keith's head hummed and whirred into life. In terror, Keith arched his back and tried one last time to break free, but he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried.

 _Maybe this was how Shiro had felt when he was captured by Garrison._

Keith felt fear and despair completely overwhelm him, because he knew he couldn't get away from these people who wanted him dead, or - more importantly - away from the truth that his best friend was just going to stand by and watch these people hurt him.

It still hurt to breathe, but now it was for a different reason altogether.

He'd _begged_ his friend to help him - he'd even cried, for God's sake - but Shiro hadn't done anything at all.

Keith never thought his heart could hurt this much. He felt more tears slide down his face, and he wished he could keep the other people in the room from seeing how much pain he was in.

"Keith - it's okay-" Shiro said, coming forward and reaching down to put a hand on Keith's shoulder, but Keith twisted as far away from Shiro as he could, snarling harshly in pain and anger.

Shiro froze in place, the blood draining from his face. He clearly understood what the look in Keith's eyes meant.

 _I_ _ **never**_ _should have trusted you._

Suddenly there was a flare of white-hot pain in Keith's skull, and he had to shut his eyes against the too-white brightness of the room. When Shiro's voice sounded again, it was cracked, almost inaudible. He sounded like he was crying.

"- Keith - _please_ \- we're _helping_ you - "

Keith laughed a dark laugh then, more a gasp of pain than anything else, and he hissed between his teeth, not even trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"…yeah… _right_ …"

He kept his eyes shut and his face turned away, not wanting to look at Shiro, the anger and hurt at his friend's betrayal still burning inside his chest, hotter than any sun. Something felt wrong with his lungs. It was all he could do to now to get enough air

He should have known better than to trust someone. People hurt you - sooner or later, they always hurt you, and it always felt like this - you were left feeling scared - angry - _alone_ -

Keith felt a wave of heat radiate out from his palms, and just for a second, he opened his eyes, looked down at his hands, and saw - fire.

There was literally fire flickering from his fingertips.

Okay.

That was new.


	3. Fire-bending isn't always a good thing

Just for an instant, what little remained of Keith's vision went completely dark.

Wasn't…there…some…superhero…who could…do this? Or…was it…a villain? Did it…even matter…? He just wanted to get _away_ from here.

 _You could,_ a voice inside his head told him. _You could use this power to break free, to get back to Red, to fly away, to never,_ _ **ever**_ _be this helpless again._

The next few seconds seemed to stretch into eternity as Keith thought about breaking free, about burning through anything or _anyone_ that got in his way. He thought about getting back to Red and laying waste to this entire planet for trying to kill him, for the pain they'd put him through, for all the harm they had done to him - and _especially_ for making Shiro turn against him.

Everything gone in smoke and fire and ash.

Just like -

Just like his parents - gone in moments - and his world changed forever as a result.

 _No - he could never turn a planet to ash - he could never do something like that -_

He felt the heat on his fingers change and become pain, and his head was _pounding_ now - it _hurt_ \- it felt as if he couldn't get enough air-

All at once, Keith was scared. He didn't know what was happening - he couldn't control this fire - it was hurting him - damn it - what kind of failed Guardian was he, getting hurt by his own element?

Then Keith realized the full danger of the situation. If he could get burned by this fire, so could someone else - _anyone_ else - and Shiro was still standing right by him. So even though it hurt to breathe, to think, to speak, Keith forced himself to hiss out the next few words.

"- get - _away_ \- from me - Shiro -"

Shiro had already lost an arm to the Galra - and Keith would be damned before he hurt someone he cared about, even if they didn't care about him anymore. But Shiro was still by him, still talking.

"Keith - _please_ \- "

In utter desperation, Keith opened his eyes and and looked up at Shiro. He _had_ to get Shiro away from him, he _had_ to make him understand that he wasn't like the Druids. He didn't even realize he was still crying until he felt the tears drip down his face.

" - Shiro - I don't - want to - hurt you - _please_ \- you have to - get _away_ \- from me - "

Then there was nothing but heat and light and pain in his head, and an awful surge of searing agony forced Keith to close his eyes again. He heard voices raised in concern and sudden fear around him.

" _Keith_! Keith, what - "

"His quintessence is completely out of balance!"

"HOLY SHIT HE'S GOING DARK PHOENIX-"

"Oh, not good - _not good_ -"

Keith felt someone's hands grip both sides of his face, one palm on each of Keith's temples.

Keith snarled then, anger and fear giving his voice enough power to be heard clearly through the mask.

" _Dammit_ _Shiro_ \- let _go_ \- you'll get _hurt_ -"

Then a different voice - not Shiro's - spoke, and although it was shaky, it was still very much the same Lance that Keith knew and bickered with on a daily basis.

"Quit fighting me - and - and let me _help_ you - mullet-head- "

Then Lance let out a cry of pain, and Keith snarled again, shaking his head from side to side, feeling sick with fear at the thought of hurting even more people. At that, Lance seemed to rally, and he hissed out the next words between gritted teeth, obviously making an effort to be his usual self.

"Just a - second here - Human Torch - I'm trying - I'm trying to _save_ your stupid ass -"

The pain behind Keith's eyes was awful - he thought his head might split apart - but then there was a sensation of cold against his temples, and just as suddenly as it had come, the worst of the awful, searing pain behind Keith's eyes was gone. As Lance took his hands away, Coran said something about Keith's quintessence being back in balance.

 _What the hell had just happened?_

 _Oh…right. Lance was Guardian of the Water. That made sense….maybe…?_

His head still hurt - though not as badly as before - and when Keith slit his eyes open, he saw that both Lance and Shiro were standing near him. Lance's eyes were huge, and his palms were blistered, but he was just looking at Keith like he was really, _really_ glad the Red Paladin's eyes were open again.

Shiro had let Lance help Keith. That meant - that meant Shiro had been telling the truth earlier. They _were_ trying to help him.

Keith wished he had the energy to slam his head back against the headrest in self-deprecation. He felt like a complete moron.

 _Dammit_. _Head injuries_ _ **sucked**_ _._

"How ya feeling, Pyro?" Lance asked, and Keith tried to roll his eyes in response, because what else could you say to someone who'd just saved you from immolating yourself - but instead, Keith felt his eyes drooping shut again, despite his best efforts to keep them open. Then his chest constricted painfully, and when he tried to breathe in, it felt like there were knives inside his chest, and it hurt - it _hurt_ -

"Uh - Keith?"

Lance was saying his name now, and he - he sounded - scared -

Shiro was at Keith's side in an instant, looking into his face, asking what was wrong.

Keith tried to answer, but then he started coughing blood, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep from gritting out a cry of pain. He saw the panic in Shiro's eyes right before the med-techs pushed his friend away from him.

"-what's _wrong_ with him -" Pidge's voice was high with concern, and then the med-techs were saying something about - his lungs - but everything seemed to be fading in and out of focus. Keith was dimly aware of someone taking off the mask, and it felt like there was a lot of noise and movement around him - but he couldn't really understand everything that was going on. Then all noise cut out, and the pain was gone.

Keith didn't know what had just happened, but he saw a whole bunch of people gathered around someone who looked like him.

Wait. _Was_ that him?

It _looked_ like him - but Keith didn't feel confused or concerned - just - interested. He felt like he was watching a movie with the sound off.

He saw that Aurelis was working with the other med-techs, swiftly and efficiently, but his eyes were grim. Shiro was trying to get closer to the person on the bed, but Allura was holding him back, saying something about the healers needing space - and - and the others were there too - Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Coran - even Rayzor. Keith wondered when they'd come into the room. He hadn't noticed them before now.

What the _hell_ was going on?

"Hi, sweetie," he heard someone say. He turned around and saw -

" _Mom_?"

She wrapped her arms around him, and Keith hugged her back. He never, ever wanted to let her go. Then he heard another voice say his name, familiar and deep and strong, and suddenly someone else was hugging him too.

" _Dad_!"

"We missed you so much-"

Keith felt a sudden flash of understanding cross his mind.

"Am I - wait - am I - "

"…dead?" His mom asked, and Keith felt her shake her head from side to side. "No, honey - you're - you're in-between."

"What does that mean?" he asked, and he felt his dad hug both him and his mom tighter as his dad answered the question.

"It means you get to choose. You can stay here with us, or - "

Keith realized that if he left his team them now, they might blame themselves. Of course it wouldn't be their fault - not at all - if anyone was at fault, it was Jenick.

"I - I want to stay - I do - but - "

He felt both his parents hug him closer, and he knew what they were trying to say.

 _We're always right here._

Then, suddenly, he was opening his eyes and gasping in a breath, and holy _**fuck**_ his chest hurt like _**hell**_ , and a few minutes later, the med-techs must have let his team come closer, because all their faces were crowding in around him, as close as they could get.

"Oh, God, Keith - don't ever do that again - " Hunk was exclaiming, even as Lance let out a whoop of shaky relief and threw an arm around Coran in an obvious effort to share his feelings.

"…yeah…okay…" Keith managed, still dazed and confused and feeling like his lungs were only working at fifty percent, "…uh-huh…sure…I'll…try not to…"

Then Pidge stuck her head near Keith's face, and he saw she was holding an Altean medical scanner right by his nose.

"… _gah_ …" he said, more out of surprise than any real fear. "…Pidge…what are you…"

"Shut up, Pyro," she said shortly. "I'm scanning your brain for quintessence levels. You really freaked us out there - I'm not taking any more chances - "

Keith felt himself sliding back into darkness. "…sure…okay…"

Right as his senses started to dim again, Keith realized that Shiro was...crying...

Keith wished he could tell Shiro he wasn't angry at him anymore, but he felt _so_ tired. The words wouldn't come easily to him. Still, he made the effort, because he didn't want his friend to think he hated him. Nothing could ever be further from the truth.

"…'m sorry…Shiro…" he managed right before his mind slipped away to a place where both time and pain didn't really exist. It was a nice change from what had come before.

When Keith remembered to open his eyes again, he had the mask on again - it was probably oxygen or something equally important to keeping him alive - and it looked like almost everyone he knew was sitting or standing nearby.

The team of med-techs still hovered around near the bedside - but his team was there too. Pidge and Hunk were on his left, and Shiro and Allura were right by his other shoulder, and Keith was pretty sure he heard Lance and Coran talking up near his head.

 _Stars_ , he had a splitting headache. Did near-death experiences ever _not_ come with incredibly painful side effects? Keith was pretty sure he didn't want to have any more to compare this one to. That would just be strange, and his life was strange enough already.

He piloted a magic flying Lion that formed part of a giant robot who defended the universe from an evil Emperor and his witch who practiced dark magic. Oh, and Keith was part-alien, and had just barely avoided death by self-immolation. Yeah, he definitely didn't want to start a near-death experience checklist.

He managed to slit his eyes open just a sliver - everything still seemed way, _way_ too bright - and the motion seemed to attract his team's attention.

"Keith!" That was Allura, who sounded like - wait - had she been crying, too?

There was more movement and noise around him then, and Keith winced and shut his eyes again, because it was a lot for his senses to handle all at once.

" _Careful_ \- don't crowd him-" Shiro said, even as Keith felt Shiro's human hand come to rest on his shoulder. Then - despite Shiro's warning - everyone _was_ crowding in around him - not crushing him - but still coming in really, _really_ close, and he heard them whispering to each other.

"Do you think he knows it's us?" That was Pidge.

"I sure hope so-" Hunk whispered back to her.

"He should - the healers said he's completely out of the woods now - " Shiro - ever the optimist -

"Woods?" Allura, confused by the Earth metaphor.

"Are you sure _you_ didn't hurt your head, Shiro?"

At Coran's question, Keith almost wanted to smirk, but it would have taken too much energy. Strangely enough, Lance hadn't said anything yet, but finally Keith heard him say, tentatively,

"…uh…hey…mullet-head…come on - tell us if you're okay - all right? We were - um…"

Dimly, Keith realized that Lance was genuinely lost for words - and - oh, _shit_. Lance sounded like he might be about to cry.

Keith thought about saying something easy, or normal, like, "Yeah - I'm fine -" but he realized he had a rare opportunity - one that might never come again. So instead, he concentrated on opening one eye, which was all he really had energy for at the moment, and said, in the most obnoxious whisper he could manage,

"…rose…bud…"

At the sound, everyone jumped and looked in astonishment at him, and Keith smirked to himself.

Hah. For the first (and probably only time) in his life, Lance McClain was completely speechless. _Mission Accomplished._

Then he felt everyone try to hug him at once, which was not what Keith had intended at all.

"…uh…'s a joke…" Keith muttered, not sure how to respond to all this hugging. "…um…guys…?"

"We were all really worried, okay?!" Hunk said, pulling back and looking at Keith's face, his friendly face stained with tears.

Everything was still kind of blurry, but Keith was pretty sure this was what was referred to as a 'moment', and he still had access to enough of his usual personality that he felt distinctly uncomfortable with the entire situation. He never dealt with emotional moments right. He never knew what to say. Maybe…

"….I could…do a..Bane…impression… " he muttered, and then he felt someone lightly slap him upside the head - that must be Shiro.

 _Dammit. The pain meds were making him think out loud again._

"…ow…" he mumbled, and he felt Shiro pull him back into a hug. Keith looked down at his hands and half-smiled to himself then. This next line was surprisingly fitting.

"…you'll…just have…to…imagine…the…fire…?" he tried again, but Shiro just hugged him tighter.

" _Stoppit_ ," Shiro said, and Keith could tell that was all his friend could manage to say just then.

Pidge spoke, her head still buried in Keith's shoulder. "Shut up, Keith. Just - just let us hug you."

So, Keith succumbed - begrudgingly - to the group hug.

" _Fine…_ " he mumbled, deciding he would just let them have the team moment without any further complaining. It was only then that Lance finally got the reference. His head shot up and he glared at Keith.

" _Dude_. 'Citizen Kane'? Who watches _that_ movie?! It's - it's _super_ depressing!"

Keith just rolled his eyes in a 'sue me' sort of way.

"…I…only know..that one line…" he said. "…I… _know_ …the movie… _sucks_ …"

Then someone was jumping up and down near his right leg, and Keith let out an undignified yelp of surprise as Beyris waved her arms at him.

"Keith!" she said, and she seemed almost wild with restless energy and excitement. "You're awake!"

"…Beyris…" Rayzor hissed, leaning down and reaching out to try and pick her up again, "…remember what I told you - he might be confused - we don't want to - "

But she dodged her uncle and wiggled underneath Shiro's arm. Her head popped right up beside Keith's face, her eyes wide and serious.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked, and Keith managed a short nod.

"…think so…" he said. "…might be…awhile…but yeah…"

Pidge glanced back at the newest Council member. Rayzor had seemed to freeze for a second - as if he were afraid of Keith's reaction to seeing him and Beyris so close by. Understandable, given the last couple of days. When she looked back at Keith, Keith only looked slightly confused at Rayzor's expression.

"…what…?" Keith asked, obviously wondering what was going on. "…did…something…happen?"

Pidge patted Keith's shoulder gently, seeing both Coran and Rayzor breathe out in relief.

"You were kinda confused for a while there," she said. "…you pretty out of it, actually - you kinda thought we all wanted to kill you or something."

Keith narrowed his eyes in an effort to remember, but the last few days were - hazy, at best.

"…oh…uh…sorry…" he mumbled, but then Lance was telling him to just shut up now and rest, and Keith felt some of his usual annoyance creep back, and he glared over at the Blue Paladin.

"…good to know…some things…are normal…" he growled, and Hunk sighed in a half-resigned manner. Then Beyris hopped from one foot to the other, clearly trying to contain herself, and said, really, really quickly, "-I'm-sorry-you're-hurt-I-brought-you-back-your-jacket-you-were-really-nice-for-letting-me-borrow-it-and-when-you're-better-we-can-play-together-if-you-like-do-you-think-you-might-like-to-play-a-game-with-me-when-you're-feeling-better?"

It took Keith a few seconds to comprehend the full sentence, but when he did, he nodded. "…sure…Beyris…I'll…play with you…"

"Great!" Beyris said, beaming at him. "What color do you want to be?!"

Keith half-smiled then, a distant memory coming to mind. "Red…I'll be…red…"

There was a gentle humming in the room, and a soft red glow powered up from somewhere near Aurelis' desk. A soft female voice spoke.

' _Voice print confirmed.'_

Everyone froze in place.

"…did you hear that?" Hunk asked after a few seconds.

"…thought it was the pain meds…." Keith confessed. "…you're saying…you heard it too…?"

Lance and Aurelis were looking at each other, eyes wide, and then the Blue Paladin explained what Beyris had discovered while Keith was asleep. Keith blinked wearily when they were done talking. Shiro couldn't really blame him. A lot had happened within the last two days.

"…so…you're saying…my dad's knife has…magical properties?"

"More like a hidden storage compartment," Lance said. Pidge had crossed the room and returned with the item in question, and she was looking at it with keen interest. The soft red light was emanating from the black stone set into the weapon's hilt.

"I think - you have to be the one holding the knife, Keith - it sounds like this is the only way it'll work -"

Keith half-shrugged, nodded wearily, and reached out for the weapon. His hands were still bandaged from the burns he'd taken, but thanks to Lance's intervention, most of the damage was superficial. He was still able to move a few of his fingers with close to their usual dexterity. When he took it, the soft female voice spoke again.

' _To initiate data recovery, please hold for identity scan.'_

A soft blue light lit up Keith's face for a moment, and then the light faded away from the hilt as the voice spoke again.

' _Retina scan complete. Data recovery in process.'_

Shiro looked at Keith. "Keith, you make the call. We'll leave you alone - if you want - "

Keith shook his head. "I don't - I don't want to - have any - secrets," he said. "But…just…whatever we find out…don't hate me, okay…?"

Shiro's initial reaction would normally have been to reach over and lightly slap Keith upside the head again - but Keith was still pretty out of it. Having your quintessence suddenly surge out of control tended to do that to you. So instead, Shiro just patted Keith's shoulder in an encouraging manner.

"Don't be stupid," Lance said brusquely. "Like we could ever hate you - don't be a _moron_ , Keith-"

Keith growled over at Lance than, but their inevitable argument was cut off as a click sounded. The black stone in the hilt had turned ninety degrees. Everyone went silent, and Keith took in a breath before he took hold of the pommel and pulled. It slid forward to reveal what looked like a thumb drive from Earth - but it had the look of Galra tech about it. It was completely black, only a few faint red markings on the side, and it was covered in a fine layer of dust.

"Okay," Keith said, taking it out of the storage compartment and handing it to Pidge. "…let's see…what we can find out…"

Pidge nodded once, firmly, and gently took hold of the drive. "I'll put a few things together back in the lounge, so it's easier for us to see what's on here - " she said. "Hunk - do you think you can help me? It'll be easier with two of us working on this-"

"Sure!" Hunk said brightly. He jumped to his feet, obviously happy to help with this new project. About ten minutes later, they came back, grinning, and Pidge handed Keith her tablet. "I uploaded the data onto here and programmed it so you can select any file you want," she explained. "It's actually pretty similar to Altean tech - so yeah, go ahead. Pick anything you like, and it should be able to read the file."

Keith's eyes widened as he looked at the different kinds of files. "It looks like there's a lot of information on here," he said. "I don't really know where to start looking for answers."

"You could try dates," Hunk suggested. "How about looking for the last file created? It might give us an idea of - well, what the rest are like - or, you know, about what your dad was doing - "

Keith nodded. "Good idea…" With a few taps, he was able to find the last file created.

When Shiro saw the date, he tried not to make a sound of startled surprise. It was only two days before the accident. Maybe Keith was still high enough on pain meds where the significance of the date would be lost on -

Even as the thought crossed Shiro's mind, he saw Keith catch his breath and blink rapidly. _No_ , Shiro thought. _I should have known better._

"What?" Lance asked, real concern in his voice. "Keith - what's wrong?"

"I just - uh - " Keith broke off then, just staring at the numbers on the screen. Lance opened his mouth to ask again, but he caught Shiro's eye. Pidge and Hunk had already guessed, but Lance suddenly looked between the tablet and Keith again, and his eyes were sad. For a moment, no one said anything.

"Let's just do this," Keith said, and he selected the file without any further delay.


	4. Echoes from the past

"Seems like it's a video," Hunk said. "Huh…and it looks like - _wow_ , Keith, you look _exactly_ like him!"

Shiro's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked back at his friend at the same time the other Paladins did. Keith just kept staring at the screen, his eyes huge in amazement.

A man was sitting at what looked like a kitchen table - and he looked almost exactly like Keith. The eyes - the way he sat - the way he was seeming to search for words. Allura and Coran glanced at each other in astonishment, but they turned their attention back to the screen once the man started speaking.

"Okay…" the man said, and at the sound of his father's voice, Keith's fingers tightened around the screen, heedless of the bandages around them.

"…uh…well…" Keith's father began, but then a voice off-screen called his name.

"Kenneth - sweetie, don't start without me - I'll be right there -"

The man on the screen - Kenneth - chuckled then, and looked past the camera, towards where the voice had come from. He was half-smiling, just like Keith sometimes did.

"All right, Mae," he called back. "I won't - "

There was the sound of footsteps then, and a woman hurried into the room, coming around to sit down next to him.

"Oh, you've already pulled it up," she said, obviously pleased. "That's _great_ \- "

She looked at the camera and waved cheerfully. "Hello, future viewer!" she said, smiling widely. The man glanced down at her, still smiling.

"I guess that works," he said. The woman beamed back at him. "Of course it does," she said.

Pidge looked at Keith and saw that he was staring at the woman's face as if he'd never want to stop looking at her.

"…is that your…" she asked, and he nodded once, quickly, his response short and hoarse.

"-yeah- 's my mom-"

Lance looked away from Keith then, biting his lip and promising himself that he'd try and find a way to print off a picture from this video for Keith. He didn't know tech as well as Hunk, but that was something he might be able to manage. Keith probably didn't have many pictures of his parents. Come to think of it, Lance had never even _seen_ a picture of them before. Maybe Keith didn't have any.

The two people on the screen both turned back towards the camera then, and their faces were more serious.

"Well, to business," Mae said. "We're making this video because - well, it seems that the world keeps getting more and more dangerous - and just in case anything happens to us, we - "

She took a deep breath before continuing. "We want our son to know the full story."

Kenneth nodded. "It'll probably sound crazy…but - well, it's important. So - here it is."

They looked at each other then.

"You want to say it?" Mae asked, and Kenneth shrugged as he replied. "It really doesn't matter - we're both going to sound _completely_ crazy - "

Mae looked at the screen then, and said, "Well, I'll just say it straight out. Keith, you're basically Star-Lord."

She gave her husband a genuine but brief smile as Kenneth blinked at her in some slight confusion.

"That…actually...kind of...works…" he said, but Mae waved her hands around her head, trying to show it was only an example instead of the absolute fact of the matter.

"Well - that's the simple way of putting it - but - Keith - really - you _have_ to listen. This is part is _really_ important."

Her teasing smile was gone now, and her face was serious. "You have a unique biology. I know, I know, every parent thinks their child is special - but you are absolutely one of a kind, Keith, and it's really, _really_ important for you to know everything - or at least, everything we know up to this point."

She took a deep breath and looked over at her husband. "I think you should say this next part, sweetie."

Kenneth looked back at her. "Say it? Or show it?"

She shrugged. "Either way. I'll leave it up to you."

Kenneth huffed out a breath, looked at the camera, and suddenly, he looked - different. His eyes were paler, his teeth were sharper, and - and his fingers had claws instead of fingernails.

"This - is approximately - what I really look like," he said. "My true form is - well - it's even stranger - compared to humans, anyway - but it would take an enormous amount of effort to show it to you - "

Mae nodded emphatically, her long dark hair flicking up and down. "Your father wouldn't be able to look human again for - what, honey, wasn't it a month?"

Kenneth waved an almost completely looking human hand from side to side. "Something like that - but Keith, listen - what I'm trying to tell you is that…"

He broke off then, and Hunk almost gasped at how much Keith was like his father, in so many ways.

"…I'm not human, Keith. Your mother is - but I'm not. I crash-landed on Earth eight years ago, and - and without your mother's help, I would have died that night."

Mae nodded once, briskly. "It was _straight_ out of Thor." She paused, thought for a second, then shook her head. "Okay, not literally. Just - you know. Crash Landing. Desert. Woman finding Man. Eventual romance. Other than that, really nothing like the movie at all."

Kenneth snorted once in laughter, and she beamed back at him as he continued. "…so..yes…I'm…a different species…" He broke off, trying to gather his next words, and Mae wasn't laughing now. She looked serious again, and had gripped hold of one of Kenneth's hands with both of hers. Her hands were so small, they only covered part of his own, but he seemed to appreciate her gesture of support.

"Um…there's really no good way to tell you this…but…I'm…Galra." Kenneth winced at the word, but Mae hugged him.

"Kenneth, it's okay, it's not like being Galra makes you automatically evil - "

Kenneth's eyes were focused on the table now, hard and distant, as if looking at something he disliked remembering. "Most of the universe would disagree with you, Mae -"

Mae smiled up at him. "But you're _not_ evil, sweetheart. You're fighting against them - and that's what matters." They both looked at the camera again, and Kenneth took in a deep breath before continuing.

"It's not - it's not an easy story to tell," Kenneth said. "But - the Galra - at least, most of them now - they follow a leader named Zarkon. He - he calls himself Emperor and uses his power to conquer and destroy."

Mae shuddered as Kenneth continued. "He's allies with a witch - a Druid - named Haggar. She uses magic - dark magic - and - she experiments on prisoners— and - "

Kenneth broke off, swallowing, and said, very quietly, " - and she thinks it's the place of the strong to conquer and crush the weak. I think she's the main reason Zarkon is so powerful. If someone could - _somehow_ \- take her out - I think that could be the beginning of Zarkon's downfall."

Mae patted his shoulder encouragingly. "You _almost_ did, sweetie - the day you crash-landed here - you almost managed to destroy her entire ship - that was _amazing_ work you did -"

Kenneth shrugged, not really looking at the camera. "I didn't manage to complete my mission, though - I _know_ she's been able to recreate some of the equipment I destroyed -"

"She almost killed you, my love," Mae said. "You were lucky to escape at all - especially given that - "

Mae broke off, biting her lip at the expression on Kenneth's face. It was uncertainty and misery, all combined into one.

"…honey…?" she asked, and Kenneth coughed then, looking down at the floor. "Mae…I…um…I don't know if I can…"

Mae wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissed his cheek, and then looked straight at the camera. "Keith - your father is Haggar's son," she said. "Though I consider him living proof that family is more than blood."

Keith saw some of the tension leave his father's shoulders as Mae continued to speak. "He was - well, _is_ \- part of the rebellion against Zarkon, and he was responsible for an act of sabotage that pushed the worst of Haggar's experiments back for _years_."

"If I'd done it _right_ ," Kenneth muttered, "I would have been able to put the damn thing out of commission _permanently_ -"

Mae continued over him, but kept her arms wrapped around his neck in a hug that conveyed only pride in her husband's accomplishments. "That night, he not only saved a friend's cover, but put himself in grave danger. Haggar almost killed him for what he did - but he was able to escape, and make it to Earth. We're still working on something of our own, to help aid the rebels once we're able to re-establish contact with them - but for now - we're in hiding - together - with you."

Kenneth looked at the camera again. He seemed to draw strength from Mae.

"Keith, you'll only see this if - if something happens to both of us-" Kenneth said. "So - just - know that you're more than human. You're - unique. Completely, utterly unique."

Mae smiled at the camera again, but she seemed slightly sad. "You're still so young," she said. "We think - we think you'll be stronger than usual - but - but you'll look completely human. Your father's shapeshifting abilities might not manifest for years - if ever. And - of course - we'll tell you all this as soon as you're old enough to understand. For now - we just - we just wanted to make sure you could find this information, if you ever needed to. We've made sure to include details of your genetics on this drive as well - just in case -"

From offscreen, there was the sound of a door slamming nearby, and Mae broke off, listened, and laughed a little. "Stars, Keith, I think you're home from school early. Here, honey, go ahead and finish up - I'll go get the door -"

She rose and left the room, and Kenneth continued, his voice serious once more. "Keith - listen - if you ever leave Earth - if you ever - start to change - make sure you stay away from the Proselyt planet. It's dangerous to the Galra - I don't know how their weapons might affect you, but - but don't take the chance. If you go there, you might - "

He was interrupted by a distant shout of greeting, and suddenly a small, dark-haired boy about six years old ran straight into the room and barreled into Kenneth's waist in what could only be described as a full-on-attack-hug.

" _Wow_!" Kenneth gasped, obviously out of air. The small boy beamed up at him. " _Dad_! Dad - my class went to Garrison today - and I want to be a pilot! Can I? Can I _please_ go to Garrison again?!"

"- _okay_ -" Kenneth said, still sounding completely winded as the boy climbed into his lap and stared up into the camera.

"What's this?" the small boy asked, reaching up and grabbing hold of it, and suddenly his dark purple eyes were closer, looking directly into the screen. Curiosity and energy radiated off him like a wave, and he twisted the camera around in his hands.

"It looks cool! Is it Garrison tech?"

Suddenly the camera turned around so that it was now pointing towards the kitchen doorway. Mae was standing there, holding back a smile.

"Say hi, Mom!"

Mae chuckled and waved with one hand.

"Sorry, honey," she said, taking a few steps closer, "he just zoomed _right_ past me after I got his backpack off -"

Kenneth seemed to have caught his breath, and he was trying hard not to laugh.

"Yeah - he's _fast_ \- but Mae - could you maybe - uh - help me grab that - back from him?"

Mae took a few more steps forward, leaning down so that she was eye level with the camera now.

"Keith - sweetie - can you give Dad back his - um - camera?"

The young boy's voice sounded again from off-screen, excited and interested and alive with vibrant enthusiasm.

"But it's so _cool_!"

The screen juddered and then the screen showed Kenneth's hand reaching out to catch it right before it slammed against the table's edge.

"Whoops," the boy's voice said, but Kenneth only sounded amused when he said, "Whoa, _whoa_ , Keith - careful, buddy - it's - it's not really - uh - can I have it back now, please?"

There was the sound of a chair being moved backwards, and small feet hitting the floor.

"Sure - 'kay - oh - 'm gonna go play with Shiro now - be back soon-"

Young Keith was suddenly sprinting out the kitchen door, talking over his shoulder as he disappeared into the hallway that led to the front door.

"Bye-Dad-Bye-Mom!"

Even as he said it, he had reached the front door, and Mae was calling after him.

"Honey! Your jacket - it's still in the hallway - "

"-don't need it-"

As the front door banged shut, Mae grabbed hold of a red jacket on the floor and gave chase, her voice echoing down the hallway even as Kenneth turned the camera back to its original position.

" _Keith_! Keith Kogane - you have to take your jacket - it's cold outside!"

Kenneth was grinning even as he watched Mae vanish out the door in pursuit of their son.

Then he turned his gaze back to the camera, and he shrugged, deadpanning his next words. "Keith - or, rather - future Keith - listen to your mother."

There was a laugh from outside the kitchen window, and Kenneth glanced outside. "Ah-ha, she caught you - she's pretty good at that - here - "

The camera's line of sight was adjusted slightly, and now the screen showed the view outside the kitchen window. Mae was sweeping young Keith up into her arms, telling him he _needed_ his jacket or he would get sick. He protested, but she told him that he couldn't play outside without it, and eventually, he allowed her to put the jacket on him, even though it was several sizes too big for him.

"Oh - I grabbed the wrong one - but that's fine - you can just wear mine today, okay?" Mae said, and young Keith huffed out a breath.

"Fine - but only 'cause you want me to," he mumbled, and she nodded, rolling up the sleeves as she spoke. "That's okay, you'll grow into it."

She finished zipping up the jacket and ruffled his hair, smiling at him. "Be good, all right?"

"I will!"

Then young Keith raced off, further away into the yard, and Mae looked back in through the window and smiled at Kenneth.

"He gets his speed from _your_ side of the family," she said, and then peered at the camera. "Oh - Kenneth - I think it's still going - here, I'll be right back inside - "

As she vanished from the window, Kenneth adjusted the camera to face him again, one last time.

"Keith - I hope you never have to see this - because - if you do - it means we're not there with you. But…if you are…um…"

He looked back out the kitchen window, towards where the younger Keith had just been, and trailed off for a moment before looking back at the screen. "I - I'm not really one for words. But -"

Then Mae reappeared, coming to stand behind him, and she leaned down and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. They looked at the screen together, and Mae smiled.

"We love you, Keith," she said, and Kenneth smiled at her.

"…yeah…" he said. "See? Listen to your mother."

Mae nodded, then blinked. "Wait - what?" she asked, looking back at Kenneth, who just grinned at her, and she laughed.

The picture stayed that way, because the video ended there.


	5. Friends Can Be Family Too

For over a solid minute, there was absolute silence in the room.

Keith didn't let go of the screen or look away from the frozen images of his parents. He only barely remembered that day - it had been right before everything had changed - but the jacket. The knife. They'd belonged to his parents. They'd been working - together - against Zarkon.

The other truth - the truth that he was - he was -

"Okay," Lance said. "That actually makes a _lot_ of sense." Then Lance was listing stuff that at the time, he had put down to sheer dumb luck or coincidence, but when put into context, made a hell of a lot more sense. Keith had survived the nightmare toxin's mental attack without taking severe damage. He'd also been able to hear outside of his cell on Haggar's ship - _and_ he had been the first one to see through Haggar's illusion spell.

"-and finally - the _whole_ quintessence thing today - "

Coran jumped in then too, saying something about how it was incredibly rare for any manifestation of growing power to harm a Paladin - but with the capability of Druid powers taken into consideration, it came as no surprise that Keith had - well -

"-almost set the room on fire?" Keith asked, and Coran just nodded.

The Red Paladin sighed and looked down at the screen again. Eventually, he was going to have give Pidge back her tablet - but for now, she hadn't asked for it back. He was grateful for that.

"…figures…" he muttered to himself. "…I'm related to freaking _Haggar_ …"

He hadn't looked over at Shiro yet. He wasn't sure what Shiro's reaction might be. Haggar had taken Shiro's arm, for God's sake - and she'd probably done a whole lot worse during his year as a Galra captive.

When the Black Paladin spoke, his voice was thoughtful.

"Big Bad Wolf, or Grandmother?"

Keith didn't understand what Shiro was talking about for a second. "Huh?"

"When you think about her, what comes to mind first? Personally, I'd go for Big Bad Wolf. She's already got the sharp teeth and claws - but since you're the one who has to - "

Despite the oddness of the situation, Keith felt an almost hysterical laugh rise up inside his chest, and his smile was genuine as he responded to Shiro's question.

"I will _fucking_ kill you if you call me Red Riding Hood, Shiro. In your _sleep_. That's a promise."

Lance's jaw dropped open as he stared at Keith. " _Dude_. You know what this means?!"

Keith looked over at him, and saw that Lance looked as if he wanted to do a cartwheel of sheer nerdiness inspired joy.

"It means you're basically Luke freaking Skywalker!"

"I think you skipped a generation or two there, Lance."

"Well, the principle's the same-"

"It _really_ isn't - it's not like I can use the Force or - "

The Alteans had seen the movies with the Paladins recently, and she and Coran exchanged a thoughtful look.

Coran twirled his mustache when he spoke. "It's unlikely Keith will have any magical capabilities - only one in ten thousand Galra are even born with the ability to _sense_ magic - but there's always a chance…"

Hunk perked up at that, seeming genuinely interested. "So - that magic stuff - would that be like - _science_ \- or - you know - _magic_?"

Pidge adjusted her glasses. "I'd say both. We are dealing with all _kinds_ of weird shit out here in space, Hunk - pretty much anything goes-"

Keith felt himself relax - ever so slightly - at how they were all taking the news of his - well, less than desirable family tree.

" _Stars_ ," he muttered to himself, "You're all taking this _way_ better than I thought you might - "

Shiro leaned over and slapped Keith upside the head again. It was what he always did whenever Keith was starting to think too hard about something.

" _Ow_!" Keith growled, rubbing the back of his head as best he could with both hands wrapped in bandages. "What the _hell_ , Takashi?!"

" _That_ was for making me freak out earlier," Shiro said, settling back in his chair and putting an arm around Allura. The Princess of Altea smiled and settled back in her seat so that she could lean closer to Shiro.

"Don't - _ever_ \- do that again," Shiro said. His voice was light, but his grey eyes were serious, and Keith understood what Shiro meant.

 _I can't lose you._

 _I was really worried._

 _I'm glad you're okay._

Keith knew that was what Shiro meant, so he replied in kind.

"Yeah, sure," he said. "I'm not planning on it anytime soon."

 _Thanks._

Then Keith knew he had to address the obvious fact that Shiro and Allura were now - _practically_ _cuddling_ \- in front of them all, and he made a retching sound.

" _Ugh_ , get a room," he said, and he grinned at how Shiro managed to both grin back and glare at him at the same time.

"This is _perfectly_ normal for couples," Shiro said. "Get used to it, _buddy_."

Keith laughed then. "Oh boy - this will be _interesting_ once we're back at the Castle - "

Allura looked between the two of them and smiled, mischief dancing in her eyes.

"Oh, Keith, if you think _this_ is bad," she said, and then she reached up a hand to ruffle Shiro's white hair fondly, and the Black Paladin went beet-red in under a second.

Keith threw back his head and laughed, and after a few startled seconds, Pidge and Lance and Hunk all joined him. Coran seemed slightly puzzled, but he started chuckling too.

" _Allura_ …" Shiro muttered, but he was smiling as he said it.

"Yes, _dear_?" she asked, looking up at him, smiling back in turn.

Together, they looked at the way the team was laughing together, and then they grinned at each other.

Life was strange sometimes. It took you places you never could have imagined, and you met people you never thought you would.

But in the end, it was an amazing adventure.

And sometimes - just sometimes - you found true friends along the way - and when you did, nothing could stand against you.


	6. Epilogue: Waterbending isn't always easy

"AH-AH-CHOO!"

The sneeze was an absolutely giant one. Lance felt his entire body shudder with the force of it, and he was really glad he'd buried his face in the tissue a second before.

"Aw…dome on!" he said, miserably. "Why dome I'm de odny one to det sick?"

From where she sat on a chair nearby, Pidge glanced up from her book.

"Well - I'm going out on a limb here - but - uh - maybe the fact that you're able to WATER BEND NOW IS CONTRIBUTING, LANCE-"

"Dit's dot wader-bendinding - dit's dust idce ridght now-"

Pidge sighed, but refrained from pointing out the difference was elementary.

 _Ahaha. Oh, she could be hilarious when she wanted to be._

Lance threw the now-disgusting tissue into the wastebasket and huddled under his covers, sniffing again.

"Dis is so frustrading. Di'm sduck in dis roomb wid Keid undil Aurelis says di'm recovderd-"

Hunk spoke up from Lance's other side. "Well, you did really push yourself _way_ too hard over the last few days. He's just making sure you don't do it again-"

Lance's head shot up and he looked offended. "I did nodt!"

Still reading, Pidge held up one hand and started listing everything Lance had gone through the last few days.

"You fought off two guys, got kicked by four more before Beyris bit your wrist, had your hand _stabbed_ by Jenick the jack-ass, and _still_ hauled your bruised and bleeding ass to the Cave of Ice to help us get Keith back to the infirmary. Oh, and _then_ you discovered you could create ice sculptures and made like, _sixteen_ for Beyris because you wanted her to feel better about the entire awful day - and last but not least, let's not forget the entire uproar in the infirmary yesterday, where you helped save Keith's life and got your hands burned in the process."

She raised her eyes from her book and glared at Lance again, but it was a glare of fond exasperation and not-well hid worry. "I'd say you _definitely_ pushed yourself way too freaking hard, Lance."

Lance would have rolled his eyes at her if his head hadn't been aching so much. Truth was, he did feel pretty bad.

Hunk had woken up a few hours ago to find Lance shivering underneath three blankets and running a fever. But he still shot his friend a wavery smile and a thumbs-up all the same.

"H-hunk, I'm f-f-fine," Lance said, and Hunk just sighed.

"Lance, you _always_ do this."

"D-do - w-what?"

"Say you're fine when you're not."

Lance sneezed into his shirt sleeve and shook his head stubbornly. "Ha - no - I - d-d-don't. I'm just - cold, is all. I-'m f-fine."

Hunk shook his head and got to his feet. "Just - here, buddy, take my blanket - I'm getting up now. Stay there, okay?"

"O-k-kay."

"Sorry, I couldn't make that out. Was that a nod or a shiver? Your teeth are clattering like maracas."

Lance burrowed underneath Hunk's offered blanket like a shy groundhog in early Feburary. "S-sm-smart-t-t-a-as-ss," he muttered, but it wasn't really an insult.

Despite his concern for his friend, Hunk felt a half-grin cross his face.. "Well, I have to be _sometimes_. You can't all be the _only_ smart ass _all_ the time." But his smile faded quickly when he saw that Lance still seemed to feel really, really cold.

"Hang on, buddy," Hunk said. "I'll see what I can do to help you feel better, okay?"

He saw Lance's head nod, once, and then the Yellow Paladin hurried to find Shiro and the Alteans.

They were still by Keith's bed in the infirmary. Shiro and Allura had fallen asleep as they sat side by side on the nearby couch. Allura's head was on Shiro's shoulder, and he had one arm around her in a way that was - awwwww…just so dang _cute_. They were _totally_ the cutest couple Hunk had ever seen. Hunk tried not to grin like an absolute idiot at how cute they were.

He failed, of course, but he did try.

He made sure to tiptoe past them as he went a little farther into the infirmary, looking for the healer, and maybe Coran. Shiro and Allura and Keith were obviously sound asleep - and Hunk didn't want to wake them up unless he had to. Maybe Coran would know what Allteans did for colds - or whatever Lance had, if it wasn't a cold.

"Good morning, Hunk," he heard the Royal Advisor say genially, in a hushed morning whisper. Hunk turned to see Coran and Aurelis coming over to him.

"We were just checking on Keith's readings," Aurelia said.

"How is he?" Hunk saw the healer's face settle into a sad but steady expression.

"He's on his way to recovery," he said. "But - I'm afraid it may take a few weeks before he's back to normal- the injuries were-" the healer broke off, and he said, very quietly and very intently, his usually friendly face going completely cold, "Let's just say that I hope Jenick gets _exactly_ what he deserves in the afterlife. I _hate_ it when someones uses power to harm others."

Coran nodded once, emphatically. Hunk nodded too, and then he was able to explain Lance's condition to them both.

"A - cold?" Coran asked, and Hunk beckoned for the two of them to follow him.

"For humans, it's usually nothing too serious - but the way things have gone lately, I thought we should make sure it's nothing more than that."

Aurelis scurried to Lance's side, a scanner in hand, and tapped the Blue Paladin on the shoulder.

"Wh-what?" Lance asked, looking up at the healer, who jumped back in surprise at the sight of his sweat-slicked hair and red-rimmed eyes.

"Sweet stars and comets, Lance, what - oh, good heavens - here, let's get you up and into the infirmary - I need to put you in a proper bed this instant!"

Hunk had forgotten how very like a mother hen the healer became when Aurelis was concerned. Then again, maybe that was understandable. The past few days had been pretty awful, all things considered. The healer hadn't been able to help Keith much at first, and when he had tried, Keith had thought that - he'd thought that-

Hunk ground his teeth at the memory, but he made an effort to concentrate on the way things had worked out.

Keith was getting better. It was going to take some time, but at least he wasn't - scared - anymore.

 _Stars, that had been horrible_.

Hunk wanted to cry at the very memory of the last few days, but instead he helped Lance get to a nice comfortable bed. He and Lance and Pidge had slept on some couches in the lounge last night, but if Lance was sick - and he absolutely was, no matter what he said - he should definitely get some rest on a proper bed in the infirmary until he recovered.

Hunk saw Coran breathe a sigh of relief when Aurelis confirmed that while Lance would indeed need a few days of rest and fluids, he wasn't in any real danger.

"T-told you," Lance said to Hunk. "I t-t-told you I w-was f-f-fine," but Hunk just rolled his eyes and patted Lance gently on the head.

"There, there," he said, a teasing tone entering his voice. "I'll get you some chicken soup - or the space version of it, anyway-"

Aurelis face palmed himself at Lance's words. "FINE?!" he said, and Lance blinked over at the healer. "No, Lance, _stars_ , no, FINE is not what you are - you are _sick_! You are _injured_! And…you didn't take those painkillers like I told you to last night….did you?"

"Um…" Lance said, trying to smile winningly at the healer. "I…forgot? Because Beyris and I were playing…and Keith is a fire bender now…?"

Aurelis muttered to himself as he began locating different medicines - something about 'Paladins' and 'how they can function at all - I'm just _flabbergasted_ ', and Coran was nodding and saying that they _all_ tended to do this to some extent, and then Pidge had poked her head into Lance's room and asking what was going on.

"Lance is sick," Hunk said, and then Beyris was scurrying into the room alongside Pidge, her face anxious.

"Lance is sick?!" she said, trying to see him, but there were too many people around the bed. Beyris made a half-irritated sound and started to climb up onto the foot of the bed. Hunk realized what she was trying to do and scooped her up before she reached Lance.

"He's going to be fine, Beyris," he said. "He's just not feeling too good - we should try not to climb all over him right now -"

She wiggled, attempting to reach for Lance. "I won't - I just want to see how he looks - Laaaaaaance, are you okay?!"

Lance sneezed again, but he tried to wave at Beyris all the same. "Yeah, di'm find, Beyris," he said, coughing as he did so.

"Uh-huh," she said. She looked back at Hunk, not trying to get free anymore. "He's totally _not_ fine," she said. Hunk nodded back at her, and she folded her arms, looking back at Lance sternly. It would have been intimidating if she'd been a teenager, but it was just adorable coming from a five year old girl.

"Lance," she said, "you've _got_ to rest."

"Oday," he said, trying not to smile. It was clear she wanted him to get better.

So for the next few days, Pidge and Hunk and Beyris and Coran and Aurelis and Allura and Shiro all made it a point to keep Lance from doing anything strenuous until he felt better.

It was a lot easier said than done, because neither Keith or Lance handled being confined to a sick room very well.

"So ya had a bad day - "

" _Lance_!"

"da - da - da - de da daaaaa - "

"LANCE I'LL KILL YOU ONCE I'M MOBILE-"

Yeah…

Those next two weeks dragged on pretty predictably.


	7. Bonus Scene: Reassurance

_Greetings, reader! I am working on the next story in the series, but I've had this scene running through my head for some time now, and I thought it fit best here, as yet another 'Bonus Scene'._

 _This is set just a few hours after the chapter 'Friends Can Be Family Too' and the evening before the Bonus Scene 'Waterbending Isn't Always Easy.'_

 _Consider it a small gift to you awesome readers while you wait so patiently for the next installment of 'Lost Paladins'. :-) Let me know what you think! ;-)_

Keith fell asleep still holding onto the tablet. Pidge couldn't hold back a smile as she and others tiptoed out of the infirmary room.

Aurelis had insisted that once his patient fell asleep, they _had_ to let him get some rest.

"You can come back later," the healer told them, "but for now, I think it's best if you all go and - and get some exercise, or something - if you spend too much time in there, you'll just get restless-"

Allura glanced around at the remaining Paladins and clapped her hands together.

"I have an idea," she said. "Why don't we go and visit your Lions? I'm sure they've missed you-"

Lance perked up at that. He elbowed Hunk in the side excitedly.

"We totally should - it feels like it's been forever since I saw Blue - and I _know_ Yellow's missed you, big guy - "

Hunk pointed at his friend's bandaged hands, concern crossing his friendly face. "Dude, what about your - "

Lance shrugged airily, taking on an unconcerned air. "Hey, I'm not going to fly Blue - yet - but I'd love to see her - come on, it'll be fun!"

Pidge shifted from one foot to the other. "I'm pretty sure Green will be going stir-crazy," she said. "I'd really better get back to him." Her eyes suddenly sparkled with interest. "Hey! I might even have another tablet there - that way Keith can keep the other one -"

As she kept talking, they all started down the various tunnels.

 _I am so_ _ **bored**_ _!_ Green sighed, almost sounding like he was whining. _Black, can't we do_ _ **something**_ _already?!_

 _Our Paladins will come to us in due time,_ Black told her. _All we have to do is wait._

 _We waited for over_ _ **ten thousand years**_ _,_ Red snarled. _My Paladin is badly injured - I_ _ **wish**_ _I could go to him -_

 _He will be all right,_ Gold said soothingly, in an attempt to reassure Red. _He already is receiving treatment, and he will be back to his old self in hardly any time at all._

 _It matters not_ , Red snarled. _He should_ _ **never**_ _have undergone such risk - not without me at his side -_

Blue sighed and interjected. _Red_ , _you cannot pretend that it is not in his nature to act as he did -_

Black knew that Blue and Red hardly ever agreed on anything, but Black thought that this time, something about Blue's disagreement was different. Blue's tone was soothing, almost gentle, not harsh or accusing.

Red snarled again, but it was a sound of pain and sadness. _Of course it was in his nature to protect the child - but - why must_ _ **my**_ _pilot suffer so?!_

Black sensed Gold wished he could comfort Red, but they were still separated by distance, and all Gold could do was purr in sympathy.

Red snarled in anger and frustration. _I wish that at the very least, they had brought Jenick to_ _ **me**_ _. I would have made him curse the instant he decided to harm my pilot!_

 _We understand,_ Black assured him, _but my Paladin has already ended Jenick's life - and if we were to lay waste to this planet, how would we be different from those we fight?_

 _I do not wish to lay waste to this_ _ **planet**_ _,_ Red snarled. _I merely wish to take my pilot away from these horrible tunnels, back to the Castle, where it is safe!_

Green sighed as he answered. _Red, you cannot reach him - and even if you could, he needs to finish healing before he can leave this planet. We've been over this before._

 _I could reach him if I_ _ **burn**_ _my way through to where he is,_ Red snarled. At the rage in his voice, Black raised her head in sudden unease. She'd seen what Red could do when he was angry. It was not the sort of thing you wanted to unleash on a populated planet - especially one whose inhabitants lived underground.

Black still sat upon the planet's surface, while the other Lions waited in caves nearby. They had been communicating through thought while the various events of the past few days had unfolded.

 _ **Red**_ , she said, but it was not a condemning sort of growl - more one of gentle firmness and sympathy. _Believe me when I say I understand exactly how you feel. But your Paladin told you once before_ _ **not**_ _to burn this planet. You would put innocents in harms way if you did._

 _I_ _ **know**_ _all that,_ Red said. He sounded tired now, drained. It was somehow worse than the anger he'd shown before.

\- _but_ \- _Black - I felt - I felt his fear and pain - and I - I couldn't help him._

At those words, each Lion fell silent, their mental communications ceasing for a time. Old pain, old grief, old memories were sometimes too strong for words. It was a few moments before Red spoke again.

 _I cannot lose a Paladin again. Not that way. Please, Black. Try to understand._

 _I do,_ _Red_ , Black said, and her voice was very quiet. _I do. Remember, I lost my Paladin as well._

Although Black's bond with Zarkon was broken now, fully and truly shattered beyond any semblance of repair, the hurt and pain of the loss was still as fresh as the day he had chosen to ally himself with the witch who claimed power at the cost of others. In some ways, the pain of that betrayal cut deeper than the death of her Paladin could have.

The other Paladins had only been separated from their Lions by death. After they had hid their Lions and joined King Alfor in fighting the Galra Empire, none had survived. Each had fallen, and their Lions had known exactly when and how each of their pilots had died.

It had been the Red Paladin's warning of Zarkon's betrayal that allowed King Alfor to secure Black inside the Castle of Lions. He had paid dearly for his action. After days of torture, he died without revealing the location of his Lion.

The Green Paladin had fallen defending Altean refugees as the Galra destroyed the planets in that solar system. She managed to shoot down enough fighters to allow the majority of refugees to escape, but her battleship been caught in the blast radius when Zarkon destroyed the Altean space ports.

The Blue Paladin and Yellow Paladin had been the last to fall, battling back to back against the Druids. They had fought fiercely, destroying many devices of torment and torture before they died. Neither had been taken alive by the witch.

While the Lions loved their new Paladins deeply, the ancient losses still echoed in their hearts. Sometimes, love cut more deeply than any weapon ever could. Caring for others always carried that risk, but even so, it was worth it. Valuing the lives of others was both strength and weakness at the same time, which baffled and enraged those who only desired to rule and be feared.

Black thought perhaps that was why Haggar hated Shiro so fiercely, why she had tried to completely unmake him. But regardless of what she did, the witch had been unable to turn him into her Champion.

Black half-smiled to herself. She loved her pilot all the more fiercely for that stubbornness, that iron will, that refusal to become as cold and heartless as the witch who'd tormented him. It was a matter of personal opinion, of course - but Black did consider her Paladin to be quite exceptional.

 _Black..._ Red said, and a sense of unease in his voice made Black raise her head again, even as she answered.

 _Yes_ , _Red?_

 _Why - why is your Paladin coming to see me with the Princess?_

If she'd been a normal lion, Black would have blinked. _I imagine - I imagine he wanted to see how you are doing, Red - while your pilot undergoes healing._

Even as she said it to Red, Black sensed it was the truth. Privately, she heaved a sigh of relief.

Keith was going to be all right. For a moment, Black had thought that perhaps - but no. No, that possibility did not bear thinking about. Red would not admit to pain easily, but the death of his Paladin under torture a second time would completely shatter his heart, and Black thought that it would be a blow that her old friend might never fully recover from.

She sensed her Paladin speaking to the Princess, and then both of them turned their full attention to Red. Just then, Black felt a sudden gladness come over Green, and Blue, and then Gold's spirits also rose.

 _My pilot!_ The three Lions said together, and Black sensed that their Paladins had each come to visit their Lions.

Black put her head down on her front paws again, wishing Shiro was with her, but she did not begrudge Red the company. While her Paladin had been injured, Coran had come to the surface and had let her know of her Paladin's condition.

It had been the only thing that had kept Black from attempting to shape-shift into a smaller size and going into the tunnels herself, to find her Paladin and keep watch over him as he healed. But of course, she had needed her Pilot to accomplish that feat before. With Shiro deep in cyro-sleep, it had been outside of her ability to accomplish - no matter how much she wished otherwise.

Black felt a growling chuckle rise in her own throat as she realized that she was - perhaps - just a bit of a hypocrite. In more than one way, she and Red were very, very much alike.

 _Well, I wouldn't have_ _ **burned**_ _through the tunnels,_ she told herself. _I would just - well - hmm - what would I have done? I suppose lightning would have been…just as harmful…_

She sighed to herself. It wasn't easy being the Head of Voltron.

But at least she wasn't alone anymore. Even though her Paladin was not with her at this moment, he soon would come to her.

Indeed, a short time later, Black sensed her pilot approach. She purred in welcome as he came and laid his left hand on her front paw.

 _Takashi_ , she said. _I missed you._

"I'm sorry it took me so long," her pilot said. He sounded - tired. Black immediately grew concerned.

 _My pilot, what is wrong? Are you injured?_

"No, Black - I - I just - "

Black realized what was on her pilot's mind, why he had come to see her before returning to the tunnels with the other Paladins.

 _Ah. Jenick._

Whenher pilot spoke again, his voice wasn't very loud. "Yeah."

 _You did what had to be done - he had to be stopped before -_

"Black - that's not really what was going through my mind - I - I _wanted_ to kill him. I wanted to kill him from the minute I found out how badly he'd hurt my friend. The fight felt like it was just an excuse - the whole time, I _wanted_ to kill him."

Shiro broke off, seeming to search for the right words before he spoke again. "...what does that make me, Black?"

Black thought about her response for a few moments, then answered her pilot with a low purr.

 _It makes you human_.

Shiro let out an almost bitter laugh. "Given what humans can be capable of, Black..that's…not entirely reassuring."

Black knew her pilot felt pain, but it was not the sort of pain that came through physical injury.

 _My pilot_ , she said, and she made sure she kept her voice very warm and comforting. _You made the right choice_. _You did nothing wrong._

Shiro looked away from her before he answered.

"He called me a monster, Black - right before he - "

Black growled in denial at Jenick's words. _He could only see the ugliness in the world. He refused to see anything else, even at the end. You are nothing like him, my pilot._

Shiro let out another short laugh, but it more out of exhaustion than anything else.

"Sometimes I'm not so sure," he said. Black reached down and gently nuzzled his hair.

 _He let his anger rule him, and he was willing to harm others to attain his goals. You do not do these things. You are nothing like him, Takashi._

Black saw Shiro raise his eyes to meet hers, and she saw that he was tired, and drained, and sad. It wasn't just Jenick's death that was on his mind.

"Black…it's not just that…I found out that…uh…"

 _That the witch Haggar is related to your friend?_

Shiro seemed to have trouble finding words for a moment, but when he spoke again, it was very, very quietly.

"Did…did you know? Or guess?"

Black sensed only weary exhaustion behind the words. She nuzzled Shiro's hair again as she answered him.

 _I did not know until Red confided in me earlier today. But it does not surprise me. The Red Paladin located Blue, after all._

Shiro closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against her giant muzzle, and his next words were almost inaudible.

"I don't blame him," he said, and Black could tell he spoke truth. "I don't hold it against him. It's just…Black…sometimes…sometimes it feels like wherever I go, the witch is there - or at least her shadow is."

Black half-growled in gentle disagreement.

 _Nonsense, my pilot. She is no more powerful than any other being._

Shiro half-laughed, but it was a short sound, and it was bitter once more.

"Are we still talking about the same witch?"

Black knew Shiro was tired, and that the fight with Jenick had cost him dearly. So instead of going into a long explanation, she just let out a comforting purr.

 _ **Takashi** , _she said, and at the sound of his name, he opened his eyes and looked into hers.

 _In the end, Haggar is nothing more than a witch who is extremely talented in causing pain._

Black saw her Paladin blink in confusion, and she clarified her meaning with another soothing purr.

 _You are more than what she ever will be._

Shiro gave her a look that wasn't completely disbelieving, but it was close. Black felt a faint but fond frustration rise inside her heart, and she nuzzled her Paladin again.

 _Takashi_ , she purred again, _surely you must believe me. The witch -_

"-is no one anyone should have to encounter," Shiro said, and his voice, though still low, was passionate and fierce.

Black felt sadness at seeing once again how deeply Haggar had wounded her Paladin.

 _My pilot,_ she said, _I only wish you could see what I see whenever I look at you._

Shiro's mouth curled into a half-smile, but there was no bitterness in his voice when he spoke, just wry humor. "A man who doesn't know what year it is?"

Black rumbled a low, deep, gentle laugh. Her pilot's ability to laugh at himself was something she loved about him.

 _Well, I was thinking something far more complimentary…but if you would like to know which year it is, I could tell you…_

"No thanks," Shiro said, keeping his face completely straight. "I already feel old - I don't want to find out I'm actually fifty or something - "

She nudged him in the chest, barely moving her head at all, but she still almost knocked Shiro off balance. He had to stagger a few steps to one side, and he laughed as he regained his balance. This time, the laugh was genuine.

"We're pretty strange, aren't we?"

Black chuckled. _No more than any of the others._

Shiro looked up at her again. "Can you feel the others, Black? How's Red doing?"

Black twitched her tail in genuine affection. Her pilot always thought of others before himself. Sometimes she wished she could be smaller, just so she could curl around him in what the other humans called a 'hug'.

Black chuckled to herself before she answered her Paladin. Now she was sounding like Gold.

 _Red is impatient to be reunited with Keith,_ she said. _But he has not set the tunnels on fire - yet - so -_

Shiro winced at that, looked away for a few seconds. Black knew he was remembering what had happened earlier that day. Red had told her of his Paladin's confusion and fear, and how the Blue Paladin had helped save Keith's life.

 _Oh, Takashi,_ she sighed, and she nuzzled his hair again. _Keith's pain_ _is not your fault. You killed the man responsible, and you were right to do so._

Shiro sighed then, in both acknowledgement and resignation.

"I guess you're right," he said, and Black rumbled in emphatic agreement. Then she heard footsteps approach, coming up from the tunnel behind Shiro, but the Black Paladin didn't seem to hear them. He just stayed where he was, standing by Black, facing away from the tunnel's entrance.

 _My pilot…I think someone searches for you._

Shiro glanced up at Black, and Black heard something like a spark of good humor enter her Pilot's voice when he spoke again.

"Someone usually is."

Black purred as she recognized the pattern of the footsteps.

 _It is the Princess_ , Black said. _I think she is concerned for you._

Shiro looked up at Black then, and he seemed slightly less tired than before.

"At least she - she didn't seem scared of me - after -"

Black huffed softly. _Of course she would not be scared of you, Takashi. You are not someone who inspires fear. You are nothing like the witch, or Jenick. I know this to be true. The people who love you know this, too._

Shiro reached up once more and laid his left hand on her giant muzzle. "Thanks, Black."

Black purred in satisfaction. He believed her.

 _You're welcome, Takashi._

Then Allura's voice sounded quietly from the tunnel's entrance. It was soft, almost a whisper.

"Shiro? Shiro - are you all right?"

The Black Paladin turned to see the Princess of Altea standing at the entrance to the tunnel.

"I'm all right," he said. "I was just - " He broke off, unsure how to continue.

Allura seemed to understand what was on his mind. She looked between him and Black, already taking a few steps backwards, towards the tunnel again.

"I - I didn't mean to interrupt," she said. "I just - I just wanted you to know that if you ever - ever want to talk - I'd be - happy to help in any way I can."

Shiro nodded. "Thanks, Allura- "

 _My pilot,_ Black said, _don't you need to fetch - something - from the Castle?_

"Uh - what?" Shiro asked, looking up at his Lion, confused. He saw a similar look of confusion on Allura's face and told her what Black had said.

Black smiled to herself when the Princess of Altea remembered. "Oh!" Allura said. "I think - perhaps - Black, do you mean the crystal?"

 _Yes,_ Black said, nodding and feeling quite pleased with herself. _Remember, Takashi? Your crystal is back in the Castle_.

"…right…" Shiro said, and he seemed to be looking up at Black with a half-suspicious look on his face. Mentally, he asked his Lion a question. _Are you trying to -_

 _-distract you from any misplaced regret over Jenick's death?_ Black finished, an almost mischievous tone coming into her voice as she spoke mentally with her Paladin. _Whatever makes you think that, my pilot? I am_ _ **only**_ _suggesting you take the Princess back to the Castle to regain a necessary crystal. That's all._

"Uh-huh," Shiro said under his breath. He turned back to the Princess.

"Allura - if you like - I can fly us back to the Castle. Pidge already installed a new shielding device on Black, so the planet's atmosphere won't be a problem - "

The Princess of Altea nodded happily. "Oh, of course! I can retrieve the crystal easily - and we can bring the mice back with us! It's been so long since I've seen them - and I'm sure they would _love_ to meet Beyris-"

A short time later, once they had landed on the ground again, Black smiled to herself in content satisfaction. The flight had been just what Shiro needed - time away from the tunnels, with someone dear to him, flying among the stars.

As both Shiro and Allura walked down the ramp, Black purred a fond farewell, and the four mice cheeped and chirped happily in Allura's arms.

"Shiro - this is _wonderful_ ," Allura was saying. "All the Paladins have their crystals now - and it seems like Lance and Keith are already exhibiting signs of their Lions' growth in power-"

"The ice flowers? And the fire-bending?" Shiro asked her. "Is that what that was?"

Allura nodded, her face glowing with excitement. "It's not uncommon for Paladins to - to take on or exhibit powers associated with their Lion - of course, it can take some time to learn how to control the new powers, but - "

Black purred then, gently interjecting, and Shiro glanced back towards his Lion.

"Oh dear," Allura said, almost smiling at the expression on his face. "Is - is Black - "

Shiro half-laughed at how Allura had guessed what his Lion was telling him. "Yeah - she's basically telling me that it's going to be interesting - based on what she's seen happen in the past."

"There are…legends," Allura said. "Let's just say that I'm glad we have a bit of time to practice." She thought for a moment. "…and also a nearby uninhabited moon."

Shiro nodded. "Black is also telling me that we've done enough for one day - and unless I go rest - right now - she'll be really, _really_ upset with me."

Allura giggled as one of the mice nuzzled her palm in a happy manner. "Is she really saying that? Stars, she sounds like Coran-"

 _You told her most of what I said_ , Black said, feeling mischievous. _But_ - _Takashi - I notice you didn't say that I suggested you_ _ **both**_ _go rest._

Allura saw Shiro glance back at his Lion before running a hand through his hair, but he was smiling as he did so.

"I _swear_ ," he said under his breath, "It's like I'm listening to Mrs. Holt -"

Black rumbled then, and it was almost a laugh. Shiro and Allura turned back towards the tunnel, walking side by side. Two of the mice bounded up out of Allura's arms and landed on Shiro's shoulder, cheeping and chirping at him in a friendly manner. He reached up with his left hand to scratch one under the ears, and laughed when it rubbed its head happily against his palm.

"Do they have names, you think?" he asked Allura, who blinked.

"Oh my," she said. "I never thought to ask - friends, I apologize - do you wish to be called by name?"

Black could not fully understand the mice's chatter, but she thought they seemed quite cheerful as her Paladin and the Princess headed down into the tunnels. The Black Lion curled into a contended ball, deciding it was time for a rest as well.

There was going to be a lot of work to do once the Paladins learned how to control their newly developed powers.


	8. Bonus Scene: From Another Point of View

Rayzor was just leaving a Council meeting when Aurelis called him on the comms. Redrin saw the way Rayzor reacted to the news and asked if there was anything he could do to help.

"-I need - I need to make sure - that Beyris isn't alone," he said, and Redrin unceremoniously tossed the papers he'd been carrying back onto the table as he and Rayzor quickly left the room and hurried down the corridors to where Beyris and Allura waited for them. When the little girl saw her uncle, she made to reach out for him, her eyes bright with tears.

"Uncle, Keith woke up too soon - and - and I think he's _really_ s-sick," she sobbed as Rayzor took her and nodded his thanks to Allura.

Allura clearly wanted to race off, to turn around and head towards the infirmary immediately, but she reached out and stroked Beyris' head one last time, gently, reassuringly, as she said,

"Beyris, I have to go now - but I'll make sure Keith knows you - you were asking after hi-"

There was a distant scream of agony from the infirmary, and Beyris jumped and clutched her uncle tighter around his neck in fright, but thank the stars above, she didn't seem to realize whose scream that had been.

At the sound, Allura went completely white, turned. and without another word, raced down the hall as quickly as she could. Redrin looked over at Rayzor with concern.

"…Rayzor…" he said, and his voice was low. "Was…that…"

Rayzor felt a numb, cold fear run through his heart as he nodded once, shortly. He'd recognized the scream. It came from someone he knew. And once, not so long ago, right after a scream _just_ like that, Rayzor had mockingly asked Keith if he was 'still alive'.

 _\- I kicked him in the side - how - how could I have_ _ **done**_ _that-_

Rayzor felt bile rise up in his throat at the memory. He wanted to swear, to curse, to slam his fist against a wall until either the wall broke or his hand did, but his niece was asking him something. With an effort, Rayzor forced himself to look down at her, to listen to her, to keep his grip around her gentle and careful, because he would rather jump straight into a volcano then ever harm Beyris through a careless word or action.

"Uncle?" Beyris asked, looking worriedly up at him. "Is - is Keith going to be all right?"

"-uh-" Rayzor said, trying to think of what he might be able to say. Aurelis hadn't said as much over the comms - he'd been too busy trying to help Keith - but Rayzor was virtually certain that that Red Paladin was in serious danger. Some things didn't need to be said to be understood.

Redrin saw Rayzor's dilemma and tried to help.

"We're - we're not completely sure -" the younger Council Member said, trying to smile at Beyris in a friendly manner, "-but - but I'm sure the healers are - are doing - their best - to help him right…now…." he trailed off as she stared back at him, wide-eyed in dawning realization.

"That - that was - him, wasn't it?" she said, and Rayzor wished he could lie to her, to soften the blow but he'd never lied to her before, and he damn well wasn't going to start now.

"-yes-" he said, and he had to swallow before continuing. "-Beyris - I - I should - I - "

But Beyris was already looking back towards the hall that led to the infirmary, biting her lip and blinking back tears. After a few moments, she loosened her grip around Rayzor's neck, and he gently put her back on the ground.

"I'll - be right back," he promised. "Listen, stay here with - with Council Member Redrin, all right? I - "

From the infirmary, he could distantly hear Keith telling the Black Paladin that they _had_ to get out of these tunnels, that it wasn't safe - and Rayzor thought back again to the first time Keith had come to this planet, remembered how he'd almost died from injuries and blood loss and cold.

Keith's first time in these tunnels had been full of fear, and terror, and pain, and it was because Rayzor and the Council had allowed their own rage and prejudice to blind them. Rayzor swallowed and wished he could take back the past, wished there was some way he could undo what he'd done.

But he couldn't.

Even as those thought flooded through his mind, he exchanged a look with Redrin, and the other Council Member nodded.

"Go. I'll look after her. I think - I think you should be there -"

As Rayzor turned and hurried down the hall, he heard Beyris call out after him.

"I'll - I'll wait for you, Uncle! I'll wait right here!"

Just before he passed out of her sight, she brought both hands to her mouth and shouted down the hallway, bellowing so loud Rayzor was surprised it didn't echo down every tunnel within five miles.

"And - and tell Keith I'll be waiting for him, too, okay?! I'll be waiting right here for _both_ of you!"

Rayzor took in a few deep breaths as he went, trying to steady his nerves, to regain some measure of outward composure as he made his way towards the infirmary.

 _If she knew what you've done_ , a little voice inside his head said, _she would_ _ **never**_ _speak to you again_. The voice that spoke was poisonous, malicious, and dug into Rayzor's thoughts like barbed wire and jagged spikes as he turned another corner. It sounded a lot like Jenick's laugh had back when Rayzor had left him in the Cave of Ice.

"Shut _up_!" he snarled under his breath, but the thoughts wouldn't leave him alone, even though he tried to shut them out by quickening his steps.

 _You never told her everything that happened the day you met Keith, did you, Rayzor? Beyris doesn't know you almost killed the person who saved her._

Again, Rayzor remembered Jenick's laughter drifting out of the Cave behind him, and the memory of that laugh was deeply unsettling.

 _If the Red Paladin dies now, what_ _ **will**_ _you tell her? That it was all_ _ **Jenick's**_ _fault?_

 _Be honest, Rayzor. You know that's not entirely true._

 _You did your fair share of harm. You distributed that weapon in the first place. If you hadn't done_ _ **that**_ _, he couldn't have used it so_ _ **easily**_ _on your precious Galra friend._

 _Oh, if she only_ _ **knew**_ _what you'd done._

 _What would she think of you_ _ **then**_ _, I wonder?_

Rayzor decided that it was _way_ too unsettling to listen to this voice inside his head any longer.

He took in one last, deep breath in an attempt to regain some measure of control over his thoughts, and reached the door just in time to see Aurelis trying to convince the Red Paladin that he _needed_ to calm down, that this mask was going to help him breathe easier - but Keith's eyes were clouded with fear and confusion, his breaths coming ragged and uneven, and he kept trying to avoid the mask.

Just like last time.

Rayzor remembered all too well the same fear in Keith's eyes from the day before, in the Cave of Ice. He looked down and saw that one of his hands was trembling.

 _Why was it doing that?_

For some reason, Rayzor found himself unable to enter the room just yet. He moved a few steps backwards, out again into the hallway, and found himself leaning against the near wall for support.

"Buddy, it's all right," Rayzor heard Shiro say to Keith. The Black Paladin's voice was soothing, but Rayzor heard barely controlled tears in it too. "They're - not going to hurt you - it's - it's all right - I - I _promise_ \- "

Rayzor took in another, harsher breath and rubbed his other hand over his eyes. He was glad he hadn't gone into the room just now, because he wasn't sure if he could face the other Paladins, or Coran, or the Princess just yet.

The first time Keith had come to this planet - before the alliance - Rayzor, not Jenick, had been the one to hurt him.

Jenick's voice echoed again inside Rayzor's mind, sneering and contemptous and completely intent on the righteousness of his actions.

" _-before you went_ _ **soft**_ _-"_

Even though the tunnels remained at the same temperature they always did, Rayzor felt cold spear through him at the memory. Even as he shivered, several thoughts finally fell into place in less time then it took to explain it - thoughts that he'd been trying to push away ever since they'd found Keith in the Cave of Ice.

When Jenick had seen something as a threat to his people, he had struck with significant force to eliminate a threat. But Jenick hadn't acted solely out of a desire to preserve, or protect, or defend. Instead, he had acted primarily out of an arrogant self-confidence fueled by contempt and a deep-set hatred for a long-standing enemy of his people. When he struck, he had used any and all means at his disposal, and shown no mercy whatsoever.

Just like - just like Rayzor had done when he'd first considered Keith a threat - oh, _stars_ -

Rayzor felt another shiver run through him at the thought. If his jaw hadn't already been clenched tight shut, his teeth would have surely clattered together.

When the leader of the guards had met the Paladins, he'd been dangerously close to being just like Jenick -

 _No,_ he told himself. _No, that isn't quite right._

Rayzor remembered walking over to a fallen form and kicking it hard in the side to see if it was still breathing, remembered sneering with self-satisfied triumph into a pale, scared face framed by messy dark hair, and then, last of all, he remembered condemning someone to a cold and lonely death just because of their bloodline _-_ as if _\- as if -_

 _As if their heritage alone decided exactly who they were and what they deserved._

" _Stars and sky_ ," Rayzor swore under his breath. He suddenly felt dizzy, as if he was going to be sick. He was glad he was leaning back against the wall, or else he might have fallen over.

Keith's fear the day before - his complete and utter terror at seeing Rayzor in the infirrmary - it hadn't been by chance - he'd thought Rayzor was going to hurt him, because Rayzor had been…

… _.he'd been_ _ **exactly**_ _like Jenick…_

Rayzor covered his face with his hands, and realized only a few short moments later that he'd hunched his shoulders, as if needing to hide from this insight into _why_ Jenick's actions and laughter in the Cave of Ice had so completely unnerved him, why this entire affair had struck so close to home.

… _sky and stars…Arris, what have I done?_

It was a terrifying realization - one that made Rayzor wish _again_ that he could take back what he'd done in the past, could undo some of the harm he'd caused.

But he couldn't. No one ever could.

Rayzor brought his hands away from his face, clenching them into fists instead. He still felt almost sick with self-loathing, and a large part of him wanted to stay out of the room, to turn away from the sight that waited for him, but then he ground his teeth and cursed himself for cowardliness, because _that_ was why he feared going into the infirmary, even though Aurelis had asked for him.

But - what if Keith were afraid of him again - wouldn't it be better to -

No. Aurelis wouldn't have asked Rayzor to come if that had been a possibility. Aurelis had said Rayzor should come - just in case - in case -

Well, Rayzor wouldn't avoid facing the consequences of his actions any longer.

All the same, Rayzor made sure to stay _completely_ out of Keith's sight as he entered the room, quietly coming to stand directly behind Coran. The Royal Advisor nodded once in acknowledgment of Rayzor's presence, but then they both turned their full attention to Keith.

"It seems he - he doesn't notice - or - or recognize - anyone besides Shiro," Coran said under his breath. "He's - he's very - confused - and frightened -"

Rayzor saw that Keith was still trying to keep his face away from the mask. but then Aurelis exchanged a grim nod with one of the med-techs, and then the med-tech came closer, reached down, and held Keith's head still.

Keith tried to break free from the med-tech's grip, but the med-tech carefully kept Keith's face steady and nodded back to Aurelis. As Aurelis raised the mask again, Keith looked over at Shiro, his eyes wide in both confusion and fear.

"Shiro - what are you - _Shiro_ \- _please_ \- help - m-me -"

Rayzor could tell Shiro was doing his best to reassure Keith, but it was hard for him to get the words out. He seemed like he wanted to cry.

"Keith - you're - you're safe - you're not in any danger - I _swear_ \- you're _not_ \- "

Keith didn't seem to hear his friend's reassurances. He frantically kept trying to break free, but his efforts were med-tech kept gentle but firm hold of Keith's head as Aurelis brought the mask down. When Keith realized he couldn't move his head or prevent the mask from covering his face, he panicked. He looked back up at Shiro, his eyes wide and terrified, and tried to say something more, but the mask went over Keith's face mid-sentence, and it was all Rayzor could do to not look away as the med-techs continued to work.

Keith was scared - _again_ \- he was convinced he was in danger - _again_ \- and there was _nothing_ Rayzor could do to take back the past, no matter how much he wished he could -

Keith's entire body was trembling now in hopeless fear, and Rayzor curled his hands into fists at his side at the sight before him. He wished he could close his eyes, but he told himself that he _had_ to watch, he _had_ to witness this, so that he would _always_ remember what harm he had helped cause through his own blindness and rage and hate.

Rayzor heard that Shiro was still Keith that it was going to be all right, but it was obvious that Keith couldn't understand why his friend wasn't helping him _get away from here_ , away from these horrible tunnels where he'd been hurt so badly, away from these people who had tried to kill him once before.

Finally, the med-techs stepped away from Keith, and he shook his head from side to side again, trying once more to dislodge the mask, but it was useless. Still trembling, he stared up at Shiro with tears streaming down his face as if he couldn't believe his friend could just stand there and _watch this happen -_

"- _Takashi-"_ Keith cried, and it was almost a sob. The mask half-muted and mangled his voice, but the desperate fear in it was almost tangible, "- _help me_ \- _**please**_ -"

Then the machine hummed and whirred into life, and Keith tried again to break free, tried to keep from breathing in the medicine as long as possible, but his injuries were too severe, and his efforts were ultimately in vain.

Rayzor saw that Aurelis kept his face still as stone as he reached out with one clawed hand and touched Keith's shoulder reassuringly.

"You _have_ to breathe now," he said, but Keith shook his head from side to side wildly, his eyes squeezed tight shut in fear. Rayzor saw that Aurelis bit his lip before continuing, but he went on, relentlessly.

"You _have_ to, Keith - come on - it's easy - this will _help_ you - just - try - "

"- Keith - come on - " Shiro said, and he was almost crying too. "- Keith - _please_ \- "

When Keith _still_ refused to take in a breath, Aurelis nodded to another med-tech, who swallowed and then laid a firm but gentle hand on Keith's chest, just above his heart. At the touch, Keith's eyes flew wide open, confused and frightened, and the air left his lungs in a rush, and he took in a ragged breath before he could stop himself.

Aurelis nodded again at the med-tech, and she stepped back once more. Keith didn't seem to notice her at all. He was looking up at Aurelis and Shiro in a pitiable state of sheer terror.

"I'm sorry," the med-tech told Shiro quietly. Her hair was dark and her eyes were green, and her voice, though quiet and kind, still possessed iron. "-but he _needs_ to keep breathing if this medicine is going to do him _any_ good -"

They'd hated him for who and what he was, and Keith remembered _only_ that now, he remembered it and feared it and there was _nothing_ Rayzor could do to take back the past.

Keith's shoulders had just slumped in despair, and he didn't seem to be trying to hold back the tears anymore. Rayzor knew it was more than physical injuries that pained him. Keith thought that his friend had sided with the enemy, with the people who hated him for who and what he was.

His friend wasn't going to help him get away from here after all.

 _Watch, Rayzor,_ the Council Member told himself. _You_ _ **must**_ _watch_. _Your actions led to this. You have to learn from your mistakes, and never,_ _ **ever**_ _forget what consequences came from them._

"Keith - it's okay - " Shiro said, reaching down to lay a hand on his friend's shoulder, but Keith recoiled as far away as he could, snarling in both pain and anger. His eyes had gone hollow and dark, glittering fever-bright with an expression that froze Shiro md-step.

Keith didn't say anything. He didn't need to, because his eyes said it all.

 _ **Traitor.**_

Rayzor felt his own claws dig into his palms as he watched something shatter behind Shiro's eyes, saw how completely helpless the Black Paladin was to help his friend.

As Aurelis made a slight adjustment to a nearby lamp, the a swirl of light and shadow seemed to cause Keith pain. He hissed involuntarily through his teeth and shut his eyes tight, turning his face away from Shiro as he did so. After a few seconds, it was clear he wasn't going to look at Shiro again, and Rayzor saw Shiro swallow and try to speak. It took him a few moments, but when he did, it sounded like he was on the verge of tears himself.

"- Keith - _please_ \- we're - we're _helping_ you - "

Allura stepped forward, moving closer to Shiro, but she stopped short as Keith let out something that might have been a harsh, dark, disbelieving laugh. Even though he kept his face turned away from them, everyone could hear Keith's hissed reply, and the pain and sense of betrayal in it was awful to hear.

"…yeah… _right_ …"

Shiro couldn't speak for a few seconds after that. His own shoulders slumped, and his eyes turned dull with a pain that wasn't physical. Rayzor could see that the Black Paladin didn't know what else to do, or what else to say.

* * *

Rayzor couldn't blame him. He didn't know what to do either.

Lance hunched as if Keith's words had been a physical blow, and Pidge huddled closer to Hunk, her face pinched and miserable behind her glasses.

"Can - can we say anything - to make him believe that - that it's true…?" she asked him quietly, but Hunk shook his head sadly as he replied.

"…I mean…if _Shiro_ couldn't convince him…"

There was a beeping tone that sounded then, and Hunk stopped speaking immediately, looking back over at the healers. They all seemed stunned, staring at a read-out on a screen.

"That - that can't be right," one of them said. "How - how in the name of - all the stars - "

Keith let out another half-swallowed cry of pain, and Coran saw that he had started to gasp for air again. That didn't make any sense. The mask should be supplying him with plenty of oxygen - what else could be going wrong _now_ -

Seeing Keith's distress, Shiro came forward once more, coming to stand right by Keith.

"Paladin," Aurelis said to Shiro, his tone cautious but wary. "You - you might want to - ah - step back - I'm not sure what's-"

Shiro swallowed, shook his head once determinedly, and set his jaw. He stayed right where he was by Keith's side.

" _No_ ," he said. "I'm staying right here - I'm not leaving him - "

At the sound of Shiro's voice, Keith suddenly went completely still, his back going almost ramrod straight, and he hissed something again at Shiro. Coran felt the words, sharp as knives, strike the air around them.

"- get - _away_ \- from me - Shiro-"

Shiro blanched at the words, but stubbornly shook his head again. Keith's eyes were still closed, his face turned away, but Shiro tried talking to him again all the same.

"- Keith - _please_ \- it's - it's all right - no one's going to hurt you -"

Aurelis' eyes went wide. He was staring at one of the charts Lance couldn't see, and if a blue-skinned healer could go completely pale, Aurelis did.

"-Uh - Pala-"

Just then, Rayzor saw Keith's eyes open once more, and he turned his head so he was facing Shiro.

Hunk caught his breath in shock at Keith's expression. It wasn't set in cold fury, like he'd expected, and his eyes weren't narrowed in rage or anger, like Hunk had thought they might be.

Keith was crying again - but he seemed desperate, and his voice was pleading - and it sounded scared - but not only for himself.

" - Shiro - I don't - want to - hurt you - _please_ -"

Lance felt confused. Keith didn't want to hurt Shiro?

Well - that was good, and all - Lance was glad Keith didn't want to hurt Shiro - but - what the _hell_ was Keith talking about?

How could he possibly hurt Shiro?

" _PALADIN_!" Aurelis shouted, shoving his way forward, his eyes wide and concerned, but Shiro paid him no mind. He was staring wide-eyed at Keith, whose voice had gone thready with pain and desperation.

"- you have to - get _away_ \- from me - "

Lance heard Shiro start to ask Keith what was wrong, but then there was an absolutely insane amount of noise and confusion and light.

Coran was shouting something about Keith's quintessence being completely out of balance.

Oh, shit - Keith was Guardian of the Fire - what the hell did his quintessence being out of balance mean -

As if she read his mind, Pidge shouted that Keith was going full Dark Phoenix.

 _Right - fire everywhere - that would not be good for Keith - not good_ _ **at all**_ _-_

Hunk was shouting too, "Oh - not good - _not good_ \- "

In that instant, Lance took a gamble. He gambled his life that water could balance fire, and that when Keith had told him that his head hurt, it had been a symptom of this - now literally- life-threatening condition.

 _Maybe Lance could help - he was the Guardian of the Water - that had to count for something, right?_

Before he could think too much about what he was doing, Lance pushed his way forward, reached down and held Keith's head in his hands - his palms resting on each of Keith's temples. Keith's skin was _way_ too hot - it was - well, it was like he had a burning fever. Keith - being Keith - snarled and tried to shake free of Lance's grip.

" _Dammit Shiro_ \- let _go_ \- you'll get _hurt_ -"

Lance did what he was best at. He ignored what Keith was telling him.

He had figured Keith didn't want to hurt him - or Shiro - or anyone - but damn it, this guy could never accept help easily.

 _Argh, stupid_ _ **Keith**_ _._

"Quit fighting me - and - and let me _help_ you - mullet-head-"

But the fire was hurting him too now, and Lance couldn't keep from crying out in pain as he felt his skin begin to blister. He heard Keith snarl again and try to break away again, but Lance was having none of that.

 _No self-sacrificing bullshit today, Kogane. You've done enough of that already._

 _It's_ _ **my**_ _turn._

"Just a - second here - Human Torch - I'm trying - I'm trying to _save_ your stupid ass -"

Later on, Lance wasn't able to describe exactly what he did next. At the time, he just focused on how Keith was scared of this fire, how his friend was in danger and how the fire had to _stop_ , it had to _stop hurting his friend_ _ **now**_ , and - and all at once, Lance sensed the strange heat die down, become something normal, something not out-of-control.

True, there was still some weird and crazy fire-bending shit happening, but the fire wasn't hurting his friend anymore. A few seconds later, the flames completed disappeared, and Lance was able to stumble backwards. Shiro caught him by one arm, and he was about to say something when Keith slit his eyes open and looked up at them.

Seeing them standing together, Keith seemed to realize that his friends were there to help him, and Lance felt so glad that his friend was awake and aware again, he almost didn't notice the blisters on his hands.

Okay, so he _did_ notice they were there. They were grade-A blisters. They freaking _hurt_. In a few moments, he was probably going to need a _lot_ of painkillers - but that was okay. Keith wasn't on fire anymore. Lance was happy to call that situation a complete win.

"…uh…so…how ya feelin', Pyro?" he asked, and when he saw Keith start to roll his eyes, Lance felt his own face crease into a relieved smile. It looked like Keith was mostly back to his old-

Without warning, Keith's eyes squeezed shut again and his face contorted in pain. Even behind the mask, they could all hear him let out a hoarse, strangled cry that needed no explanation.

Lance felt the smile vanish from his face.

 _Oh, God. Had he - had he -_ _done something_ \- _wrong…?_

"Uh…Keith?"

Shiro was by Keith's side in an instant, his dark grey eyes wide and frantic.

"Keith - what is it - what's wrong - "

When Keith tried to answer, all he could manage was his friend's name.

" _-T-tak-ashi-"_

Rayzor flinched at the sound, sensing the terror in the boy's voice, but then Keith couldn't say anything more because he was coughing - oh stars - oh no - because he was coughing up blood-

Coran saw the panic in Shiro's eyes just as Aurelis and the other healers pushed him back, away from Keith, and began trying to help the Red Paladin.

"-what's _wrong_ with him -" Pidge cried, her eyes wide and scared. Both of her arms were wrapped around one of Hunk's arms like an anchor, and both the Yellow and Green Paladin were completely frozen in horror. Allura stood by them, her eyes wide in desperate fear.

Aurelis answered quickly, succinctly, his attention on addressing the situation.

"I think - it's his lungs -" Aurelis was saying. "-now be _quiet_ _-"_

Rayzor saw the Blue Paladin's face had gone almost completely grey, and he reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Lance jumped and looked at back Rayzor in both fear and terror, but he saw the former leader of the guards shake his head.

"It's - it's nothing you did," Rayzor said. "I think - I think it's a complication from - from the weapon Jenick used - this is - this is what he thought would happen - eventually - "

"What - "

Rayzor bared his teeth, but Lance could tell it wasn't aimed at him. "Stars, _that's_ what he meant when he said the damage would be permanent - if your friend Pidge hadn't come up with the antidote yesterday - there would have been nothing we could have done in time - "

But then Aurelis took off the mask, and they all heard -

Nothing.

Keith should have been trying to breathe in again - but this time - it sounded like -

Without a word, Aurelis and the med-techs set to work. Coran and Rayzor exchanged a hard glance, and the Royal Advisor saw that the newest member of the Council's palms were slick with blood. His claw tipped fingers must have be digging into his palms.

"KEITH!" Shiro shouted, but Allura wrapped her arms around him, keeping him back. He tried to shove past her, but she held on tight and wouldn't let go.

" _Let go of me_!" he snarled at her, but she shook her head once, firmly, her own eyes wet with tears.

"I can't - Shiro - we - we have to - give them room - "

Rayzor _knew_ he hadn't been the one to hurt Keith this time - but - Rayzor still felt responsible. Aurelis hadn't said as much, but Rayzor believed that the weapon Jenick had used to torture Keith had contributed to this unforeseen complication, and it had been a weapon that Rayzor, as leader of the guards, had allowed to be widely distributed.

"-okay, _Jenick_ \- "

Dazed and terrified as he was, Lance jumped at the venom in Pidge's voice as she said the name, and he saw her swing her pack from off her shoulders and grab something from inside it. It was an Altean medical scanner.

"-that's _it_ \- I'm going to find you - and I'm going to _kill_ you - " she continued to snarl as she began to punch in a complicated set of numbers and data into the small hand-held device, and Hunk realized she was programming to scan for Keith's quintessence levels.

"-and if - if you're already - well, I'll _still_ kick your slimy little face in when I cross over - I swear to _God_ I will - "

Just as she finished coding in the sequence, they all heard Keith gasp in another breath. It was raspy, and ragged, but at least he was _breathing_ again. Shiro's attempts to push past Allura lessened, if only slightly, and the med-techs worked for a few moments longer.

Then Keith was really breathing again - at least sort of normally - and his eyes were open. They were clearer than they had been a minute ago. He was quite clearly still in pain, but now he seemed to be more like his usual self. He was looking around him, but he wasn't scared - if anything, he mostly seemed confused.

"- what the - actual - **hell** \- 's going on - "

At the sound of Keith's voice, Lance let out a shaky sigh of relief, Coran put a reassuring hand on Pidge's shoulder, Rayzor shook his head in amazement, and Hunk promised himself that he would make Aurelis and the med-techs and everyone on this planet chocolate chip cookies for the rest of eternity, anytime they wanted them.

Allura and Shiro both went immediately to Keith's side, quickly followed by the others - all except Rayzor, who stayed in the back of the room, unsure if he should get any closer.

He felt strangely exhausted, although all he had done was stand here and watch someone fighting for his life.

 _Concerned, were you?_ the persistent voice said in his head, almost mockingly. Rayzor half-closed his eyes, ground his teeth, and ignored it.

As soon as he could, he would make this right. He would properly apologize to Keith.

But for now, he would stay out of the way.


	9. Bonus Scene: Perspective

Bonus Scene.

Summary: My God, I just can't seem to stop writing these 'Bonus Scenes'.

Just...here. Here. Have more angst. Have it all.

Better yet, have stream-of-consciousness-angst. Yep. That's pretty much what inspired this chapter.

I /think/ this is set in the very early morning of the day 'Echoes from the Past' actually starts...so maybe it could have technically been the prologue...but with pacing of this story, it seemed to fit best here, at the end, as yet another bonus scene.

Also, honestly, I'm just starting to lose track of these things. So, here you are. Please tell me what you thought. This particular perspective was really hard to write (in a variety of ways), and I'd love to get your feedback on it. See note at the end of the chapter for more details. :-)

 **Fair warning: Jenick's a bastard, and it really shows at the beginning of this chapter. You might want to skip to the second _ you see if you don't want to read that.**

* * *

Jenick sighed and looked down at the boy. His arms - now broken - had fallen back down into place against his side, and he seemed to be trying to focus on breathing. He'd screamed, of course, when Jenick had broken his arms - who wouldn't have - but most people would _still_ be screaming at this point. Instead, the boy seemed to be trying to keep from screaming on purpose, either out of pride…or something else.

That might be important.

The boy might be trying to keep the girl from hearing what was going on…which would mean Rayzor's niece was close by - or at least, close enough where the stupid half-Galra didn't want to chance her hearing this.

All Jenick had to do was get a direction, a clue, _something_ from him, and this plan could still work.

"Impressive," he said, and then he kicked the half-Galra in the ribs, hard enough to knock him down onto the floor, and he nodded to his men, giving the signal. They joined in, each of them kicking in turn, harsh, sharp blows that snapped bone and bruised flesh.

"North?"

Ah, that was _definitely_ a rib that had just broken. _Good._

"South?"

Another kick, followed by a half-stifled scream, harsh and short and cut off by the next kick.

"East?"

Oh, now he was _spitting_ blood. _Excellent_.

"West?"

A half-snarl, a defiant sound that Jenick immediately rewarded with a harsh kick to the kidneys.

The kicks went on for awhile longer, but the brat didn't say _anything_ , anything at all. He just closed his eyes and clenched his jaw and refused to tell them where the girl was hiding.

After a few _more_ moments, Jenick lost his temper.

Damn it all, why wouldn't the boy just say _something_?

He struck out harder then he meant to with his boot, and it connected with the left side of the boy's face. Jenick cursed when he saw the Red Paladin's body go limp.

"Did you just _kill_ him?" asked one of the other conspirators, and Jenick shot him a glare as he reached down to feel the side of the boy's neck for a pulse.

"He's still breathing," Jenick said, and he looked around the tunnels. "But we can't stay here."

"What do we do, then?" his friend asked, and Jenick smiled a very nasty smile.

"I know where we should go. Two of you carry him. Try not to let him die on the way."

One of the four conspirators grabbed hold of Keith's ankles and started to drag him down the corridor.

"I said _carry_ him!" Jenick snapped, and then a second conspirator grabbed hold of Keith's shoulders and helped his companion start carrying the Red Paladin down the corridor towards the Cave of Ice.

Keith's face was still white as a sheet, and his eyes were still closed, and he didn't seem to be fully aware of what was going on, but he had let out a cry when they started moving him,

It wasn't supposed to be possible, to be unconscious and still feel pain…but then again, the Red Paladin _hadn't_ been completely unconscious. The drug Jenick had used had prevented even that small mercy.

* * *

Redrin dug his claws into the Council table as the footage continued to run. He'd felt it was necessary to watch the footage of this event again, to remind himself of the dangers of arrogance and a cold, absolutely 'justified' sense of righteousness. The rest of the Council had been absolutely horrified when they'd seen what Jenick had done, but Redrin thought that it was vital for this dark moment in their history to be remembered _forever._

So _,_ he intended to go through the entire reel, just once more, on his own, to be absolutely certain this event stayed with him, and through him, the rest of the Council.

Now the security footage showed the conspirators arriving at the Cave of Ice. They'd just thrown Keith onto the ground. Redrin winced, digging his claws into the table once more, feeling his teeth grind together.

The main reason he'd wanted to see this footage again was that he wanted to put words to _why_ Keith had done what he'd done, to see if he could come to understand the Red Paladin better, but he damn well wasn't about to ask the Red Paladin how all of this had made him _feel_.

In all honestly, Redrin genuinely hoped the boy would never have to think about this day again.

He hoped that when the Red Paladin woke up from his healing cycle, most of these memories of Jenick would be faint, and hazy, or better yet, lost forever.

Redrin knew he planned to never watch this footage again after this. It was too painful, too real, too…ugly.

Hate was terrifying to witness, but someone had to remember what it looked it.

It was the only way to keep it from happening again.

So Redrin watched, and observed, and was - finally - able to understand.

When Jenick had demanded to know where the girl was, Keith had been scared. He'd been scared out of his mind, and he'd wanted to throw up, or pass out, but most of all, he had wanted someone to come and help him before Jenick could hurt him anymore - but no one had. So he'd just…endured.

He'd endured because when it came down to either himself or someone that he could protect, Keith didn't have to think twice about it. He didn't even have to think about it once.

It was instinct to him.

Instinct, but something else, too, something deeper, something much, _much_ stronger than simple impulse.

Keith had endured because he _cared_.

He cared _deeply_ about Beyris.

He had only met her the day before, but he cared enough about her to buy time for her to get to safety, even to the point of withstanding torture.

It wasn't just stubbornness.

It wasn't just loyalty.

it was….something more.

Keith hid it most of the time, and he would have said something biting and sarcastic if he'd ever been asked about it straight out, but he cared _deeply_ for those close to him, for those he felt affection or responsibility for, and once he had given you his loyalty, it was nearly impossible to lose it.

Then something flickered and skipped, and Aurelis realized that somehow, the footage showing now was from the infirmary, directly after the three remaining Paladins had rescued Keith and brought him there for medical treatment.

He hadn't seen this part with the Council. It hadn't been deemed necessary to convict Jenick and the other conspirators. Rayzor had told them - very briefly - a summary of what had occurred - but…

Redrin tried to end the reel, but it kept playing. Maybe it was automatically set to play through to the end?

Whatever the reason, Redrin _really_ didn't want to see this next part. He thought about leaving the room, maybe coming back after a period of time had elapsed, but he dismissed that idea almost immediately. Leaving the footage just playing like that…like it was some kind of movie or recording that just _anyone_ could see - it felt wrong.

Redrin decided that he would stay until it finished running, and then return the security footage to its designated space in the secure storage.

* * *

Within the next few moments, he wished he had found a way to turn it off, or at least to mute it.

The Red Paladin had been _so_ scared when he saw Rayzor in the infirmary. No wonder Rayzor had said as little as possible about it.

 _Oh, gods. This was horrible._

Without realizing he was doing it, Redrin slammed a fist down onto the table in a blaze of white-hot rage as the events in the infirmary continued to unfold.

 _Damn Jenick for doing this to Keith, for hurting him so badly that he couldn't tell friend from foe._

 _This was cruelty on a completely different level from what had come before._

 _What made it worse was that there had been nothing anyone could do to help._

When Keith had seen Rayzor in the infirmary, he'd been hurt and confused, and in his confusion, he'd thought that his team had joined forces with the same race that had tried to kill him just moments before. The result had been a heart-rending series of attempts to help resulting in more fear and pain.

Redrin had always had a talent for sensing what people felt, for what they were thinking. He wasn't always right, and he didn't always see the entirety of the situation, but he knew enough to guess at what had been going through the Red Paladin's mind.

When Keith had seen Rayzor in the infirmary, working with the Alteans, with the team, _his team,_ he thought they had betrayed him.

Keith had just wanted to get _away_ from the people who had tried to kill him - so why would his team be working with them -

Allura was telling him he was safe - but Shiro wasn't there - how could he be safe if Shiro wasn't there, but Rayzor was - and then Coran was putting a patch on his neck -

The Alteans were working with Rayzor - Rayzor had hurt Keith before - so he wasn't safe - no matter what they said, he wasn't safe - he had to find Shiro - and he needed his team - but they weren't coming over to help him - _why weren't they trying to help him_ -

 _Hunk - Katie - Lance - please - get me out of here -_

Then, the restraints had been activated - why would they do that - was it - was it because they hated him too? Or had - had Katie been scared of him?

He - he hadn't meant to scare her - he would never hurt her - he'd rather die than hurt her -

 _\- please - I'm sorry - I'm_ _ **sorry**_ _-_

Although Keith had felt scared and trapped and dizzy and _sick_ with fear and pain, he'd tried to explain, he'd tried to tell Katie he would _never_ hurt her - he wasn't like that - he _wasn't_ \- he wasn't like Sendak - he would take a bullet to the head for any of them - for _each_ of them -

But then his team had held him down and placed a mask on his face as he desperately tried to get away, as he looked up at them and _begged_ them not to do this -

 _-_ _ **please**_ _\- I didn't lie - I_ _ **swear**_ _\- I didn't - I'm not a spy - I'm_ _ **not**_ _-_

Then he couldn't say anything - because it hurt too much to talk - but he tried to make them understand anyway, with the way he looked at them.

 _\- help me_ _**\- please -**_

But no one did - they just watched, they just _watched_ as Keith began to cry, seemingly indifferent to his tears.

 _\- please - I'm sorry - I'm_ _ **sorry**_ _-_ _ **please**_ _-_

Keith felt betrayed, and hurt, and sad, and sick, and the anger he normally relied on when he was in fear or in pain…the anger just seemed weak and small and confused.

Redrin could only guess at how badly Keith's lungs had throbbed, and how his head must have hurt, but to the Council Member, it was clear that Keith's heart hurt worst of all.

Keith thought he was all alone, and he couldn't understand why his team had betrayed him like this. He'd thought they were his friends, that they were his _family_ , but they were just going to stand there and watch him hurt like this - how could they do that - how could they just _abandon_ him like this -

Shiro would have believed him - Shiro would have helped him get away from here - away from these horrible caves and tunnels and the dark and the cold -

 _But - Shiro was gone - Shiro was_ _ **gone**_ _-_

The sedative was beginning to take effect, and Keith must not have realized that he was saying what he was thinking now.

 _I - I can't - be alone again -_ _ **please**_ _-_

Everything must have hurt - his head - his arms - his chest - everything must have hurt -

 _\- Shiro -_ _ **please**_ _\- I need you -_

Redrin had to look away for a moment, and only then realized he had braced his shoulders as if expecting a punch. Seeing other people in pain always did this to him. He wanted to help, he wanted to do something, but in this case, there was very little he could do, save watch and remember and _never_ let this happen again.

All the same, he wasn't sure he could have kept watching this if he hadn't known that soon, the Red Paladin _would_ realize his friends hadn't betrayed him at all, that they were only trying to help him.

Redrin looked down at his hands, realizing that they'd soon have to replace his section of the Council table as well as Rayzor's. His claws had dug furrows into the surface.

"You'd think we would have just _started_ with a stone table in the first place," he muttered to himself, and then youngest Council Member sighed in relief because the footage reached the point where Keith had been able to understand - right before he went under - that he _was_ safe, and among people who cared for him.

It was with a feeling of great relief that Redrin took the security footage back to its secure storage. He never intended to view it again.

* * *

Later that evening, in his personal quarters, Redrin thought about what he'd seen, and what he'd come to realize as a result.

When Keith seen Rayzor in the infirmary, working with the Alteans, with the team, _his team,_ he thought that they had allied themselves with the people who hated him.

He hadn't known what to do or what to say, and he'd been hurt and scared and terrified, but despite all that, he had still deeply cared for them.

 _That_ was the main reason why it had been _so_ painful to Redrin to watch.

Keith had still cared for the people who had seemingly turned their backs on him.

It was a simple fact that the people you loved either helped you the most, or hurt you the worst. Redrin let out a quiet sigh and felt glad that in the end, the Red Paladin had realized that his team did still care for him and did only want to help him. It was good to know that situation had ended well.

Sometimes, life wasn't so kind. Redrin knew from exquisitely painful personal experience that it was a _horrible_ feeling to care for someone who did, in fact, dismiss you as unworthy, or worse, as unimportant. The cruelest wounds often came from the people closest to you, and most often, through no fault of your own.

The Council Member tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair in a distracted manner, wishing he could fully turn his back on the distant memory of someone who had looked him in the eyes and said they valued his friendship, that they always would…and then, years later, had stabbed him right in the heart while smiling a satisfied smile.

 _Got you._

That 'friend' hadn't _literally_ stabbed him in the heart, of course - Redrin smiled grimly to himself at that small attempt at a joke - but for all intents and purposes, the effect had been the same.

' _Loyalty clearly doesn't come with brains._ _You should know by now that I only tolerate your company because you agree with everything I say.'_

Those words had torn something deep inside Redrin, particularly because they had come from a person he would have - at the time - died for without thought or question. Several years later, the echo of those words was still something he had to make an effort to tune out.

Thankfully, time had dulled most of the pain. That, and a _great_ deal of interaction with more…emotionally stable individuals who actually cared about others. It really did make a difference, being around people who valued you as a person instead of a seemingly mindless, parroting follower.

It made a _marvelous_ difference.

"Though I suppose I did learn what _not_ to be like from that experience," Redrin muttered to himself as he got up and started to walk down the corridors. Sometimes walking helped clear his head, but despite his best efforts, another echo went through his mind then, and he remembered - again - how very much the words had hurt at the time, cold and mocking and meant to shatter.

' _I never truly liked you as a person - but damn, I_ _ **must**_ _have been good at pretending.'_

Redrin snorted under his breath and decided it was high time to drown out that vitriolic voice's echo with _noise -_ chattering, babbling, wryly humorous, I'm-not-taking-this-nonsense-anymore-so-shut-up-oh-haughty-and-toxic-ghost-from-my-past _**noise**_.

And it just so happened that was _exactly_ the kind of thing Redrin was very good at, and he had only grown better at it with _years_ of consistent practice. Despite the pain he still felt at those memories, he found himself genuinely chuckling as he headed towards the common area.

If it came to either laughing at his own pain or dwelling upon it, Redrin knew which option he'd always choose.

Other people's pain? That he couldn't - and wouldn't - laugh at. _Ever_. He would make an effort to help them through it, but gods above, other people's pain was so much harder to see, because he often felt so powerless to help them. He did his best, but all the same. That was so much harder to bear.

His own pain, he could joke about - at least in time. In this case, he was already doing so.

"My, my, Geltorix, you really _did_ know how to verbally eviserate someone," Redrin muttered to himself as he walked. Strangely enough, talking out loud to himself whenever these thoughts surfaced was helpful. That, and seeing if someone happened to be up for a friendly game of - what did the Paladins call it again?

Ah, yes - cards. A fascinating idea, a single game with countless applications. Quite fun, actually, but more so when played with others. Especially if particularly disheartening echoes persisted in haunting him.

"-and so _efficiently_ too," he continued, making an effort to fill the silence of the empty corridor with his own voice. "I mean, _six_ _years_ of friendship undone by _two sentences_? Well, perhaps, technically, three? Still - that _has_ to be a _record_ \- well _done_ , Geltorix, you _get_ a _medal_ \- the 'stars-above-thank-the-gods-you're-out-of-my-life medal- _Eeep_!"

"Ack!"

Distracted by talking to himself, Redrin had bumped into someone, and found that it was Aurelis, intent on reading as he walked. As the healer regained his balance, he glanced sheepishly up at the Council Member.

"Oh. Hello, Redrin. Sorry. That was my fault - I was on a _fascinating_ chapter - I just couldn't stop reading -"

The healer pointed to his book. The bookmark in it was only a few pages away from the end.

"Ah," Redrin said in understanding, seeing that it was the fourth book of a series in Aurelis' claws. "On to fetch the next volume from the library, are you?"

Aurelis had that vibrant energy about him that came from just completing part of a series that ended on a cliffhanger. He readjusted his grip on the book and nodded. "I suppose it would be more efficient just to bring the entire rest of the series back with me…but that's an awful lot of books to carry - "

Redrin shrugged. "I'm not doing anything at the moment. I can help, if you like - "

Aurelis brightened. "Well, yes, that would be - very helpful - oh, have _you_ read this series? It's _incredible_ -"

As they started down the corridor together, Redrin shook his head. "It's a curse of being a Council Member, I'm afraid - I don't really have much time to sit down and read - but if it was something I could _listen_ to - "

Aurelis waved the book enthusiastically, barely remembering to catch the bookmark before it flew out from between the pages.

"Oh! I think there is an audio recording of this series as well - and it was marvelously done! I believe I saw that the first one was still available last time I was there - "

Redrin looked over at the healer, interested. "Really? What's the series about?"

Aurelis began speaking animatedly about how very interesting and intricate the plot was, and Redrin found himself smiling as they kept walking.

It wasn't healthy, to dwell too long on the past, and it was _long_ since time to start building new friendships.

Maybe he _would_ try this book Aurelis recommended.

Who knew? Maybe it would be something he'd enjoy.

In any case, it would certainly be better than dwelling on what was long since over and done.

And if it was time for a new chapter, he might as well start now.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I decided that since I'd given most of the other OCs in this series character development, why not Redrin?!

But actually, I did have a 'friend' who pulled this exact thing on me. Yeah...that was like getting a hole ripped through my chest. I can honestly say that was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced.

Me being me, I now must make a humorous reference after talking about something painful like that. Not only is it how I deal with pain, but it's 'make a reference or lose my mind'...and I've already done one of the two. ;-)

"Oh, look, check it out, it's like I'm an Espada now. That's...actually, nope, that sucks, guys. I refuse. I flat out refuse to be an Espada. Ain't got time for that shit. Gimme that Hollow mask, it's time to pull a comeback. I'm just too stubborn to stay down.

(That's a reference to the show 'Bleach', btw).

But anyway, I decided to channel the energy from that experience here - so here ya go. It's angst central, people. Aren't I nice. :-)

Please let me know what you thought! After writing this chapter, I'll be honest, I would love hugs and really glowing reviews always make my day brighter. ;-)


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